Youth poverty in Europe.

Abstract

This research examines poverty among young people aged 16 to 29, across 13 countries of the pre-enlargement European Union. Although young adulthood is known to be a time of uncertainty and vulnerability, there has been little research into the incidence of poverty among young people. This report aims to fill this knowledge gap. More life-changing transitions occur during the young adult years than at any other time in people’s lives. This research looks at how these affect young people’s risks of poverty, including events such as: - leaving the parental home - setting up home with a partner - finishing education - finding (or not finding) a job, and - starting a family. The research compares young people’s experiences of poverty in the UK with those of peers in twelve other European countries. The authors identify those policies which best protect young people against poverty, and make a set of policy recommendations for the UK.