The new lost generation: How will Covid-19 change young people’s lives?

In a post-lockdown future, it will be young people who bear the brunt of the economic and social fallout. Jessie Williams speaks to the students, graduates and freelancers finding hope in limbo

Recessions are known to hit young people the hardest, and the one currently looming over our heads is expected to be the worst in 300 years (iStock)

Across the country, we are tiptoeing into a new normal. Shops are tentatively reopening; people are returning to work, families are reuniting – albeit at a safe distance. Life is once again filling the silent streets. But life as we knew it will not be the same. Covid-19 and the accompanying lockdown has changed everything.

More than 40,000 people have died from the disease in the UK, and over 400,000 worldwide. The older generation has suffered the most, but as we look to the post-lockdown future, it will be young people who bear the brunt of this pandemic, with longer-term economic and social consequences disproportionately affecting them.

In May, research by the Resolution Foundation found that one-third of 18-24-year-olds have been furloughed or lost their primary job. By contrast, less than 15 per cent of 35-44-year-olds fell into these categories. Additionally, young people are also two and a half times more likely to work in a sector that’s been closed down, such as hospitality and retail, according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies.