Gem O'Reilly
BBC London

At Capital City College in King’s Cross, the halls are full of aspiring, energetic students, but it is a juxtaposition to what London’s employment landscape looks like.

In the capital, almost one in four young people are unemployed.

The college’s group principle, Jasbir Sondi, describes the situation as "really worrying when you’re such an advocate for young people. It’s really disheartening.

"It’s not because we’ve got young people who lack ambition - I believe this is around access issues.

"We need solutions and employers to identify what the skills gaps are for young people.”

Meghan Owen
BBC London work and money correspondent

Trina Rodden, from youth unemployment charity the Shaw Trust, says in recent years the organisation has seen an increase among young people who have self-confidence and anxiety issues and are trying to find work.

She believes the pandemic played a big part in that.

"It can be as extreme as young people that just won't leave their bedroom," she says.

"They just don't want to leave, they're very isolated, and they're totally disengaged.”

Lauren Stanley
BBC London

Traditionally, many young people would take up jobs in the retail and hospitality sectors, but the number of these types of jobs available to young Londoners is decreasing.

UKHospitality estimates there has been 100,000 job losses in the sector since the budget in October 2024 due to an "unprecedented rise in costs" for businesses.

Chair of UKHospitality, Kate Nicholls, says: "We know that younger and entry‑level workers are typically the first to be affected, as it becomes much harder for businesses to sustain those entry‑level positions.

"We risk losing not just jobs, but a vital pathway into work for an entire generation of young Londoners."

The Federation Of Small Businesses says employers want to give young people a chance, but minimum wage costs are becoming a barrier.

Connie Bowker
BBC London

Joyce Omanga, a BTec health and social care student at Capital City College, tells me that after two years of applying for work, she finally found a part-time job as a waitress in a pub.

"I had to apply for 100 jobs to just get one job - Primark, JD Sports, you name it," she says.

"In the UK, I feel like we don't push enough jobs for young people or we get pushed away because we don't have enough experience - but it's so hard to get experience," the 18-year-old adds.

Her end goal is to become a radiographer for the NHS.

"My main motivation is to help people - and the NHS needs people."

Image source, PA Media

We've heard from Pat McFadden, secretary of state for work and pensions, who says more is being done to get young people into work.

"We're investing £2.5bn to create up to 500,000 opportunities for young people to earn or learn," he says.

McFadden says other schemes being introduced by the government include a £3,000 Youth Jobs Grant for businesses that take on eligible young people.

"We're also delivering the biggest reforms to apprenticeships in a decade - giving employers more flexibility and expanding foundation apprenticeships into the hospitality and retail sectors," he adds.

Connie Bowker
BBC London

Kenzie Allen, a Btec biomedical science student at Capital City College in King's Cross, says her dream job has always been to work as a doctor in the NHS.

The 19-year-old says it is proving difficult to find work experience in the field, such as shadowing a surgeon, but she is finding even harder to get a part-time job to do alongside her studies.

"It makes me feel like: 'Am I ever going to get a job?' Maybe I just have to wait until I'm older," she says.

"It means I have to rely a lot on my parents and family for money, it is really hard.

"If I want to go for dinner I have to save it for a special occasion or not order too much."

Meghan Owen
BBC London work and money correspondent

The rate of youth unemployment in London is the highest in the UK because the capital shows the first signs of a struggling labour market, according to Avnee Morjaria, from independent think tank the Institute for Public Policy Research.

"You've got the hospitality and retail sector struggling, difficulty in entry points in the labour market, the cost of employing young people," she says.

Her solution is to enable young people to "earn or learn" as a priority.

"The government should introduce a youth allowance for 18 to 24-year-olds, conditional on training or job search and backed by an extended youth guarantee so every young person is offered education, an apprenticeship or paid work experience," she says.

Jonathan Fagg
BBC England Data Unit

The new data released by the ONS shows an additional 10,000 young people were unemployed between November and January.

There were 125,000 unemployed 16 to 24-year-olds in London between October and December last year.

Between November and January that number rose to 135,000, according to the ONS.

This puts London as the UK region with the highest rate of youth unemployment.

Meghan Owen
BBC London work and money correspondent

Hadil Haidar, from Kingston, is among those in the capital who is struggling to find work and says she finds "being a young person at the moment feels a bit bleak - there isn't much to look forward to".

The 22-year-old dropped out of university after two years due to "unforeseeable circumstances" and since November 2025 has applied for more than 70 entry level roles, mainly in the hospitality sector. She says she has also handed out "countless CVs".

"It can be really demoralising," she adds

"I'm fluent in three languages and I did my GCSEs in a year when I moved to the UK in Year 11. I'm creative and always up for new things. Sometimes I don't feel I'm given a chance to showcase my skills."

Hello and welcome to BBC London's look at youth unemployment in the capital.

New data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows that the youth unemployment rate in London is now higher than anywhere else in the UK, with 24.6% of 16 to 24-year-olds out of work in the capital.

BBC London is spending the day speaking to those who are struggling to find employment, as well as charities and the authorities about what can and is being done to help.

In addition to our online coverage, you can listen to BBC Radio London throughout the day or tune in to BBC London on BBC One at 18:30 GMT.