Gen Z women are the new face of unemployment-and it's not because they're too choosy. Low grades and bad health are to blame, new research warns | Fortune

"In 2024, the jobless rate for young women jumped from 9.5% to 11.8%-the fastest annual rise since PwC's index began. And in the latest ONS figures, released last month, the overall NEET rate ticked up to 12.8%, driven almost entirely by women: While the number of young men locked out of work actually went down quarter‑on‑quarter, 13,000 new women found themselves out of the job market."

"Just two years ago, young men dominated the NEET data. When Fortune first covered the trend in 2024, one in five men under the age of 25 was unemployed -and not actively looking for work, either-despite having just graduated. Experts at the time said the key reason for the phenomenon was that women were more flexible in accepting job offers that didn't perfectly align with their career goals post-pandemic."

"PwC's new Women in Work Index, which digs into Labour Force Survey data on 16‑ to 24‑year‑olds between 2020 and 2024, shows that around 1 million young people in the U.K. are now classed as NEET (not in education, employment, or training). Female unemployment has been drifting down since the mid‑2010s (aside from the Covid spike), but that progress is now reversing."

The U.K. is experiencing a significant shift in youth unemployment patterns, with young women now comprising the majority of those classified as NEET (not in education, employment, or training). PwC's Women in Work Index reveals approximately 1 million young people aged 16-24 are NEET, with female unemployment rising dramatically in 2024—the fastest annual increase since the index began. While young men previously dominated NEET statistics, the trend has reversed, with 13,000 new women entering joblessness in recent quarters while male unemployment declined. This reversal contrasts with earlier pandemic-era patterns when young men were more likely to disengage from the job market, holding out for ideal positions rather than accepting alternative employment. Current data suggests female unemployment stems from structural barriers rather than choice.

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