State of paralysis

State of paralysis focuses on young people’s (16-24-year-olds) economic security and what it means for their health and wellbeing.

We define economic security as ‘the degree of confidence a person can have in maintaining a decent quality of life, now and in the future, given their economic and financial circumstances’. Consequently, the concept is distinct from related concepts such as income, poverty, and employment status, as it includes the subjective experience of one’s economic reality, which in turn involves other facets such as one’s ability to cope – both materially and psychologically – with financial risk and unforeseen economic challenges.

Based on our conversations with young people, and a review of existing research in the field, we propose some principles to underlie policy for young people.

1. Make young people’s economic security a national priority, for the sake of both those young people and that of the UK as a whole.
2. Recognise, and research, young adults as a distinct category. This report has shown that young people often face the same costs as adults, yet do not have the ability to respond to these challenges as adults, through income or experience. More and better data is also needed to understand this age group and its experiences
3. Engage with young people when developing policy. Until more young people are in policymaking positions, more should be done to engage them in development of policy to understand how changes may impact this demographic.
4. Adapt to new ‘non-linear’ patterns of education and employment. Old policy norms about a singular, permanent transition to independence must be replaced by an understanding of the non-linear path many young people now take.
5. Take a decentralised approach. Finally, our fieldwork – and other research like it – highlights the importance of local context in mediating young people’s experiences of economic security, and the necessity of understanding and responding to local needs.