Why Young People Can’t Find a Job in London Anymore

Around one in four 16-24 year-olds in the capital are looking for work, the highest proportion in the UK.

Photographer: Jose Sarmento Matos/Bloomberg

Thanim Rahman had every reason to smile when his LinkedIn profile picture was taken in September 2025.

Wearing his graduation gown, cap and hood, he holds a red-ribboned degree certificate — computer science first class — with the “Open to Work” badge displayed to attract recruiters. Six months, 50 applications and only one interview later, that picture tells a different story: he’s still unemployed.