The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has published the latest labour market statistics.Key figures include:
- In the three months to March 2014, there were 3.71 million 16 to 24 year olds in employment, up 31,000 on the previous quarter.
- There were 868,000 unemployed 16 to 24 years olds, down 48,000 from the previous quarter (and down 89,000 on the same quarter in 2012-2013).
- The unemployment rate for 16 to 24 year olds was 19.0%, down 1.0 percentage points from the previous quarter.
- The number of 16 to 24 years olds unemployed for over a year decreased to 247,000 (from 257,000) and the number unemployed for over two years decreased to 104,000 (from 114,000).
- There are 282,600 unemployed young people who are not in education and do not claim Jobseeker’s Allowance, 48.8% of all unemployed young people who are not students (this proportion has risen by nearly 20 percentage points since October 2012)