UK's workforce by age: ONS data reveals stark contrasts

How can organisations make the most of a workforce that spans five generations? Our recent article on UK employment data sparked an important conversation, the numbers show that while overall unemployment remains low, age remains one of the strongest predictors of opportunity. - Younger workers are struggling to enter the job market. - Older workers are extending their careers. - And the middle is balancing reinvention and resilience. The takeaway? A truly inclusive workplace doesn’t just mix generations, it learns from them. Read (or revisit) Understanding the Age Divide and we’d love to hear how your organisation is addressing this shift. LINK: https://lnkd.in/ezpkhFFK #Inclusion #AgeDiversity #HRStrategy #FutureOfWork #TalentDevelopment #Leadership

How do young people really feel about the future of work? The Youth Voice Census 2025 shows growing uncertainty. While many are excited about innovation and AI, confidence around fairness, pay, and progression is slipping; with only 50% of young people feeling fairly paid and 63% not confident asking for a pay rise. For employers, this is a clear call to act. Building trust, transparency, and progression pathways isn’t just good practice, it’s key to attracting and retaining young talent. At Youth Employment UK, we help employers turn these insights into action through our Membership, providing expert tools, data, and guidance to strengthen your youth employment strategy. ➡️ Read the full report: https://lnkd.in/emC67x4A

The UK talent landscape is evolving in ways that create clear opportunities for SMEs willing to act now. By 2035, we'll see shifts in education outcomes, workforce demographics, and regional skills distribution. London is projected to reach 71% degree holders, while other regions will sit closer to 29%. For businesses, this creates a strategic opening: companies that invest in building local talent pipelines today will have access to a broader, more loyal workforce tomorrow. Place-based innovation—recruiting locally, mentoring visibly, creating progression pathways—delivers measurable returns. We're seeing it already: 109% growth in 12 months for one company that embedded this approach. Better retention. Stronger community ties. Lower recruitment costs. It's not about solving this alone. It's about recognizing that local investment is good business—and when more companies do it, we collectively build the talent ecosystem we all need. #PlaceBasedInnovation #SkillsGap #TalentStrategy #Lancashire

Yes there are skills gaps, but there are also talent surpluses. If we keep writing the same old job descriptions, seeking the same old exam-based proof points, the dots will not connect. Regional business owners will be the pioneers in this, as long as they are willing to see things differently.

Towards Greater Employment Inclusion for Older Workers in the UK. In 2025, the employment rate for people aged 55–64 in the UK reached 71.3%, up from around 67% in 2020. This steady rise reflects a shift in workplace culture: more employers are recognising the value of experience and the importance of age-diverse teams. However, regional disparities remain. In the South East and East of England, employment rates for older workers exceed 75%, while in the North East and parts of Wales, they hover closer to 63%. These gaps highlight the need for targeted policies around reskilling, flexible work, and age-friendly recruitment. As demographic pressures grow and labour shortages persist, integrating older professionals into the workforce is no longer a nice-to-have—it’s a strategic imperative. #employment #olderworkers #inclusion #UKlabourmarket #diversity #HR #regionalinequality #lifelonglearning #ageinclusion #workforceplanning #skillsstrategy #economicpolicy

Our 2024 report highlighted representation of individuals from ethnic minority backgrounds has decreased from 12.6% to 8.9%. This reduction moves the sector further away from the UK’s overall workforce representation of ethnic minority workers. See if any changes have been made over the past 12 months by submitting your company’s data for this year’s survey: https://lnkd.in/gg9NPZay

Our 2024 report highlighted representation of individuals from ethnic minority backgrounds has decreased from 12.6% to 8.9%. This reduction moves the sector further away from the UK’s overall workforce representation of ethnic minority workers. See if any changes have been made over the past 12 months by submitting your company’s data for this year’s survey: https://lnkd.in/eyCRDfyD

Our 2024 report highlighted representation of individuals from ethnic minority backgrounds has decreased from 12.6% to 8.9%. This reduction moves the sector further away from the UK’s overall workforce representation of ethnic minority workers. See if any changes have been made over the past 12 months by submitting your company’s data for this year’s survey: https://lnkd.in/evU5zEAF

Our 2024 report highlighted representation of individuals from ethnic minority backgrounds has decreased from 12.6% to 8.9%. This reduction moves the sector further away from the UK’s overall workforce representation of ethnic minority workers. See if any changes have been made over the past 12 months by submitting your company’s data for this year’s survey: https://lnkd.in/eSS8rZep

Are We Creating a 'Lost Generation'? Inside the UK's Youth Employment Crisis Since the 2024 general election, we've seen a pretty significant drop in youth employment. Nearly 200,000 young workers have vanished from UK payrolls, with the sharpest declines among under-18s. It's not just the youngest, though the 25-34 and 18-24 age groups have taken a hit too. The numbers are a bit stark, to be honest. Youth unemployment's now over 14%, which is more than triple the overall rate. Every region in Great Britain's feeling it, with Wales and London hit hardest. Now, it's not all doom and gloom. Employment among mid-career and older workers has actually grown. Could this be seen as a positive? Experienced workers staying in or returning to work, potentially bringing valuable skills and knowledge to the table, or they’re struggling with the cost of living and subsequently making decisions to earn more? But here's the thing: while it's great that older workers are finding opportunities, we can't ignore the potential long-term consequences of youth unemployment. We're talking about lower lifetime earnings, reduced well-being, and persistent skills gaps. Some business groups are even warning of a "lost generation" if we don't address this soon. So what's behind all this? Well, it's a bit of a perfect storm, really. There's been a sharp increase in minimum wage for younger workers, which sounds good on paper, but it's closed the wage gap between older and younger workers. This might be making employers think twice about hiring inexperienced youth. Then we've got the economic headwinds, especially in the private sector, which have hit entry-level roles hard. These are the jobs typically filled by young workers. And let's not forget the reports of rising age discrimination. Nearly all surveyed young people say they've experienced negative treatment in the workplace. That’s disheartening. On the flip side, the public sector's expanding and public pay is outpacing private pay. But opportunities for young people in growth sectors still seem limited. It's a complex issue, and I think it's important we look at it from all angles. Yes, we want to support our experienced workers, but we also need to ensure we're not leaving our youth behind. The rise in young people not in education, employment, or training (NEET) is particularly concerning. It's the second highest hit in a decade 12.8% (the first 2015 13.2%), with mental health increasingly cited as a barrier. So, what's the way forward? I reckon it's going to take some serious collaboration between government and business to address these barriers to youth employment. We need targeted support measures and a real commitment to creating opportunities for young people. If we don't invest in them now, we might all pay the price later. What are your thoughts? #YouthUnEmployment #UKManufacturing #UKSmallBusinesses Sam Baynham Andrea Wilson Ruth Forster Amy Foster Mandeep Sandhu Laura Giddings