Catalina Espinosa
Research expert covering society, economy, and politics for Europe and the EU
Generation Z in the UK - Statistics & Facts
Generation Z are the generational cohort born between 1997 and 2012, and as of 2021 there were just under 12.7 million of them in the United Kingdom. This made Gen Z the fourth-largest generation in the UK as of that year. Millennials, Baby Boomers, and Generation X, were larger than Gen Z, but the UK's pre-war generations and the youngest generation; Generation Alpha were smaller. The youngest members of Gen Z in this year were nine, while the oldest were 24, which was also the most common single-year of age for Gen Z at 847,674. With the exception of Gen Alpha, Gen Z was the most ethnically diverse generation in England and Wales, according to the most recent Census. As of 2021, 75 percent of Gen Z were White, 12 percent Asian, six percent were Black, five percent were mixed, and three percent belong to an other ethnic group. Gen Z are also the latest generation to enter the workplace, and with 4.3 million in employment in 2022, were the third-largest generation in the UK's labor force.
Gen Z political and social beliefs
As the youngest adult generation in the UK, Gen Z's opinions on political and social matters often contrast starkly with the views of older generations. One of the most consequential decisions for Gen Z's future, for example, was made in 2016 when the UK voted for Brexit, when only a minority of this generation were able to vote in the referendum. Although a slight majority of people regret Brexit as of 2023, this sentiment is strongest among younger generations, with 66 percent of those aged 18 to 24 believing leaving the EU was the wrong decision. Compared with older generations, Gen Z also had far more confidence in the European Union as an institution than the UK government. Younger age groups, mainly comprised of Gen Z, were also more likely to say they would vote for the UK's main left-wing party, the Labour Party. Additionally, while the environment was seen as an important issue by all age groups in 2023, this sentiment was strongest among young adults. One issue that Gen Z appears to think differently on compared to older ones is that of suicide. In 2022, 30 percent of Gen Z believed that suicide could sometimes be justified, significantly higher than even Millennials, who were much closer to older age groups on that particular issue.Identity and attitudes towards sex
Compared with older generations, Gen Z were far less likely to identity as being straight, or exclusively attracted to opposite sex. In 2022, for example, 71 percent of Gen Z identified as being straight, compared with 82 percent of Millennials, 87 percent of Gen X, and 91 percent of Baby Boomers. One in ten of Gen Z identified as being Bisexuals, five percent as either Gay or Lesbian, and five percent as Asexual. When asked about what they were sexually attracted to rather than how they identified, only 53 percent of Gen Z were exclusively attracted to the opposite sex, with Gen Z generally being more open to same-sex relationships than older generations. Gen Z also had a far more permissive attitude toward casual sex than their older peers, with 67 percent of Gen Z believing it to be acceptable, compared with just 12 percent of the Pre-War generation.
