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Economic inactivity among young men at record high

The majority of those who are economically inactive did not want a job
The majority of those who are economically inactive did not want a job The majority of those who are economically inactive did not want a job

THE economic inactivity rate of men aged 18 to 24 is at a record high, new statistics show.

More than four in 10 young men were unemployed or not looking for work between September and November last year.

Labour Force Survey tables published yesterday revealed that the economic inactivity rate among those of working age was 28.2 per cent.

Among all 18 to 24-year old males, it has doubled in the last decade.

Economically inactive are people who are not in employment or unemployed. There are numerous reasons why an individual may be inactive, which include studying, looking after family or long-term sick.

Northern Ireland's inactivity rate of 42.3 per cent for 18-24 year old men compares with 28.8 per cent for the whole of the UK.

The rate of all people aged 16 and over was 59.4 per cent - meaning 40.4 per cent were inactive. For all 18-24 year olds, the proportion was 39 per cent inactive.

The rates fluctuate throughout the year. While the 18-24 bracket of females fared better between September and November (35.5 per cent), between March and May, 41.8 per cent were not in employment.

The tables also showed that the majority - about nine in every 10 - who were inactive, did not want a job.

Among those who did not want to work, 30 per cent were long-term sick or disabled, 27 per cent students and 24 per cent were looking after the family and home. A further one in 10 were retired while 8 per cent cited another reason.

"The inactivity rate has been increasing since the record low in 2016," said Nisra.

"The current inactivity rate is the highest rate recorded since 2010, but remains significantly below peak rates recorded in mid-2009."