Rising cost of motoring pricing young jobseekers out of workforce
Over half (53%) of young people not even applying for jobs that require a car to get to the workplace
High petrol prices (63%), MOT services (29%) and insurance premiums (26%) preventing young drivers from getting behind the wheel more
Over a fifth (22%) of young drivers have limited or no access to a car
Report released at a time when youth unemployment has hit 14.4%, three times higher than the overall unemployment rate of 5.7%.
The rising cost of motoring is hampering young people’s job prospects, according to new research by Uswitch.com, the price comparison and switching service. Over half (53%) of 17 to 25 year olds are ruling out applying for jobs that require a car to get to the workplace – despite the fact that they have a full UK licence,
With youth unemployment standing at 14.4%, almost three times higher than the overall unemployment rate of the total working population of 5.7%, the findings reveal that the cost of running even a small car is yet another barrier facing young people struggling to break into the competitive labour market.
Even despite recent reductions, the price of petrol (63%) was cited as the number one motoring burden – while MOT services (29%) and high insurance premiums (26%) place owning a car even further out of reach.
Employment prospects are also bleak for the 60% of young job seekers who have successfully secured a job interview. Two thirds (66%) were forced to turn down the interview as a car was needed to get to the meeting. Unfortunately, with over a fifth (22%) of 17 to 25 year olds having limited or no access to a car after passing their test, this is unlikely to improve any time soon.
Rod Jones, insurance expert at Uswitch.com says “Young people are three times more likely to be jobless and the soaring cost of motoring is compounding the problem. Today’s youth are being denied what used to be a rite of passage for young people – enjoying the benefits of having your own car.
“Although many driving costs are unavoidable, there are measures young drivers can take to make getting on the road more affordable. By fitting a black box in your car or buying your car and insurance together you may be able to reduce your premium. But it’s important to do your research and assess all the options to make sure you’ve found the best possible deal for you before committing.”
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Katherine Moss
Phone: 020 3021 5893
Email: katherine.moss@uswitch.com
Twitter: @uswitchPR
Notes to editors
Notes to editors All research referred to was conducted by Opinium unless otherwise stated. Opinium Research carried an online survey of 1,000 UK respondents aged 17 – 25 with a full UK driving licence between 2nd – 9th February 2015. Percentages and figures not used in grossed up calculations refer to the proportion of the whole sample unless otherwise stated.
When asked ‘Thinking about when you have applied for jobs/apprenticeships/training schemes, have you ever discounted applying for any of these because you would have required a car to get to the workplace?’. 45% responded ‘Yes’ and 16% responded ‘N/A – I have never applied for any jobs / apprenticeships / training schemes’. This equates to 53% of all those who have applied for a job/apprenticeship/training scheme.
When asked ‘What factors, if any, prevent you from driving more than you currently do?’, 63% said ‘Price of petrol’, 30% said ‘The cost of parking’, 29% said ‘Maintenance e.g. MOT’, 28% said heavy traffic and 17% said availability of parking.
When asked ‘Which of the following best describes how much access you have to a car? 18% responded ‘Restricted access (e.g. you can only drive when your parents or partner is not’ and 4% responded ‘None’.
Source – Office of National Statistics, February 2015 http://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/feb/22/youth-unemployment-jobless-figure
When asked ‘Have you ever been invited to a job/apprenticeship/training scheme interview which required a car to get to the interview location (e.g. the location wasn’t accessible or too difficult to make by public transport)? 60% answered ‘Yes’. The 60% who had been invited to an interview location that required a car to reach where then asked, ‘Thinking of these job interviews which required a car to get to the location, have you ever had to turn them down because you did not have access to a car?’ 33% answered ‘Yes – more than once’, and 33% answered ‘Yes – Once’ = 66% have had to turn down a job interview because they did not have access to a car.
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