Similar numbers (18%) report a mental health issue has stopped them applying for a job or attending an interview (12%) during the last 12 months. Over a quarter (29%) worry their current employer would not support them if they experienced a mental health problem.
The Youth Index is an annual research report based on a YouGov survey of 2,239 16-25-year-olds across the UK, gauging young people’s confidence and happiness across a range of areas, from their physical and mental health to money and working life.
The report finds that 40% of 16-25-year-olds have experienced a mental health problem, while a fifth (21%) report their mental health has got worse in the last year. Over half (54%) of young people say the cost-of-living crisis and pandemic has had a negative impact on their mental health, with over a third reporting that they always or often feel down or depressed (36%).
More than a third (35%) of young people are worried their mental health will stop them achieving their career ambitions. Two in five (41%) say that worrying about achieving these goals has made their mental health worse.
Despite this, most young people still report that having a job is good for their mental health (62%), enables them to feel confident about their future (68%) and gives them a sense of purpose in life (65%).
This year’s Youth Index shows the overall wellbeing of young people remains low, with happiness and confidence in mental health seeing the biggest decrease compared to other factors over the 15-year history of the research. Happiness in work, education, qualifications and money are at all-time lows, while unemployed 16-25-year-olds consistently report the lowest overall wellbeing.
