More than 900,000 people aged 18 to 24 in the UK are now not in work, education or training, the highest figure in over 20 years. That means around 15% of young adults are now economically inactive, with experts pointing to worsening mental health, fewer entry-level jobs and rising barriers to employment as key reasons. The figures put the UK behind countries like Spain, France and Greece for youth employment, despite those countries historically struggling with higher unemployment rates. It marks a major shift in Europe’s jobs market, with the UK now facing one of its toughest youth employment challenges in years.