Young Britons Face Worst Jobs Market Since Covid After Tax Hike

Britons looking for their first jobs face the worst hiring drought since the depths of the Covid pandemic, as the rise in artificial intelligence and higher employment costs distort career opportunities.

Postings for graduate jobs, apprenticeships and junior roles that don’t require degrees have declined 4.5% in the month to July to just below 210,000, according to data from job-search website Adzuna. Entry-level roles now account for just a fifth of all vacancies, well-below the 27% average recorded between 2022-2024 and the lowest share since October 2020 when the economy was under pandemic restrictions.

First-time jobseekers are bearing ...