Young people paying for the crisis

It is now clear the government is creating a lost generation of young people (Jobless on target to hit 3m, 15 December). The latest figures reveal unemployment has reached a staggering 2.64m, its highest since 1994, with youth unemployment rising to 1.027m, the highest level since these records began in 1992. At the same time, the removal of the education maintenance allowance and the threefold increase in tuition fees are pricing many young people out of education. Nick Clegg recently announced a £1bn funding plan for job subsidies, but this is a headline-grabbing PR exercise that will not address the devastation that the coalition has wrought on the lives of young people. Young people need real jobs and apprenticeships – not the schemes, academies and work programmes offered by the coalition. Claimants are increasingly being refused benefits. Many are falsely accused of not looking hard enough for work, others are forced to take jobs with no pay. It is no coincidence that 59% of those involved in the August riots were unemployed, or that cutting EMA was a key motivator for rioters. Between March and June, 100,000 public sector jobs were lost, with a disproportionate impact on women and ethnic minority workers. The 1% cap on public sector pay rises for two years will deal a further devastating blow. Benefit reforms are also set to further impoverish disabled people. Meanwhile, income inequality in the UK is growing faster than in any other rich country, according to the OECD. As we approach Christmas, this is the grim reality for millions of people. The coalition's assault on public spending, jobs and services means young people are starting off life paying for a crisis they did not create. Mark Serwotka General secretary, Public and Commercial Services Union Zita Holbourne Public and Commercial Services Union NEC and co-founder, Black Activists Rising Against Cuts John McDonnell MP Ronnie Draper General secretary, Bakers Food & Allied Workers Union Sam James Joint national chair, Right to Work Campaign Ian Hodson National president, Bakers Food & Allied Workers Union Pete Murray National Union of Journalists NEC Linda Burnip Disabled People Against Cuts steering group Lee Jasper Co-chair, Black Activists Rising Against the Cuts Pete Firmin Joint secretary, Labour Representation Committee Andrew Fisher Joint Secretary, Labour Representation Committee Nick Grant National Union of Teachers NEC Raymond Morell Chair L&E Unite Aerospace & Shipbuilding industrial sector committee Candy Udwin Chair, Camden Keep Our NHS Public Dave Statham GMB Holborn branch Andrew Osborne Secretary, Cambridgeshire Against the Cuts Estelle Cooch Right to Work Campaign Paul Brandon National Secretary, Right to Work Campaign