Young Workers in Insecure Sectors Face Higher Risk of Health-Driven Economic Inactivity
Young people in the United Kingdom are significantly more likely to exit the workforce for health-related reasons and become economically inactive when employed in low-paid, insecure job sectors, according to a comprehensive new study. Research commissioned by the Trades Union Congress and conducted by the consultancy Timewise has established a clear correlation between the types of occupations commonly held by youth—such as roles in hospitality, retail, and care—and elevated rates of individuals departing due to illness or disability.
Precarious Employment and Health Outcomes
The analysis highlights that sectors where young people are disproportionately concentrated are also those associated with the highest numbers of workers transitioning into long-term sickness and worklessness. For instance, more than 40% of staff in accommodation and food services operate under insecure working arrangements, including zero-hours contracts, agency work, or low-paid self-employment. Clare McNeil, chief executive of Timewise, emphasized the severity of the issue, stating, "Insecure and poor-quality jobs are contributing to a rising epidemic of inactivity amongst the young, who have the most precarious, low-mobility jobs of all." She further noted that expecting young people with disabilities or mental health challenges to sustain such physically demanding and inflexible roles is often futile, as these positions frequently prove unsustainable.
Key Sectors and Roles at Risk
By examining official data on workforce exits and entries into long-term sickness, the study identified that the highest flows into economic inactivity due to ill health occur in sectors with a large youth employment presence. Specifically, wholesale and retail, food and accommodation, and health and social care were pinpointed as the three sectors accounting for the greatest volumes of such transitions. Roles most vulnerable to long-term inactivity include hospital porters, road transport drivers, kitchen staff, and leisure and theme park attendants.
Policy Implications and Government Response
The findings underscore the urgent need for a focus on job quality, not just quantity, in addressing youth inactivity. This comes as the government-commissioned review led by former Labour cabinet minister Alan Milburn is set to report this summer on strategies to combat rising youth unemployment. Recent official figures reveal that 957,000 individuals aged 16-24 were not in employment, education, or training in late 2025, representing 13% of this demographic, with nearly half citing ill health or disability as a factor.
In response, Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden has announced a separate £1 billion scheme aimed at reducing youth unemployment, offering employers £3,000 incentives to hire young people who have been out of work for six months or more. Meanwhile, TUC Secretary General Paul Nowak stressed the importance of fully implementing the Employment Rights Act, which includes provisions for statutory sick pay and reasonable shift notice, to provide young workers with greater job security and support.
Industry Perspectives and Challenges
Industry leaders have offered mixed reactions. Kate Nicholls, chair of UKHospitality, defended the sector, asserting that hospitality offers quality, flexible career pathways but warned that rising employment costs are limiting entry-level opportunities. Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the British Retail Consortium, cautioned that certain aspects of the Employment Rights Act, if implemented in a way that treats flexibility as inherent insecurity, could reduce job availability for young people in communities nationwide.
As the debate continues, the research serves as a critical reminder of the broader societal concerns. Alan Milburn recently highlighted a generational anxiety, noting that many parents fear their children may not achieve the same economic stability as previous generations, signaling a potential break in the long-held social contract of intergenerational progress.
