Worrying Times: Young Women’s Trust Annual Survey 2017

Last year we published ‘No Country for Young Women’, the findings from our 2016 annual survey. The report, which attracted a considerable amount of interest, revealed a generation of young people despairing and anxious, many of whose lives were on hold because of serious financial, work and housing problems.

Sadly, the Young Women’s Trust Annual Survey 2017 shows that life has not improved for many young people and for a considerable number, especially those already struggling, it has got worse.

Our latest survey findings reveal that, while around half of young people are getting by financially, the other half, an estimated five million 18-30 year olds, are struggling to make ends meet – including some one million young people who are facing dire financial problems. As a result, many young people are unable to move on with their lives and are facing a loss of confidence, anxiety and worsening mental health worries.

Once again young women are being hit hardest. Our findings show young women are consistently more likely than young men to encounter money problems, workplace discrimination, health problems, worries about the future and low confidence. And women from the lowest socio-economic groups are faring worse still, with their situation also deteriorating in the last 12 months.