Catalina Espinosa
Research expert covering society, economy, and politics for Europe and the EU
Millennials in the UK - Statistics & Facts
Millennials are currently the largest generation in the United Kingdom with an estimated 14.4 million people belonging to this generation in 2021. As of this year, the youngest were aged 25, while the oldest members of this generation were 40. The most-common age for a Millennial in this year was 33, with 940,421 people this age, compared with 835,498 aged 25, the least-common age. When compared to older generations, Millennials are less likely to identify as being straight than older generations, with 82 percent of Millennials saying they were straight in 2022, compared with 91 percent of Baby Boomers. Millennials are also more ethnically diverse than older generations, with 78 percent of Millennials being white in England and Wales in 2021 compared with 91 percent of Baby Boomers.
Millennials in the workforce
Aside from being the largest generation overall, Millennials are also the largest generation in the UK workforce, with approximately 12.2 million Millennials employed in 2022. Although the current labor market is generally quite tight, with low levels of unemployment and a high number of job vacancies, this was not the case when many Millennials first entered the labor market. In the wake of the 2008 global financial crisis, unemployment was elevated in many countries, and reached a high of 11.8 percent in the UK in 2011. With young workers generally being the most impacted by such high unemployment, Millennials bore the brunt of this crisis, and in 2012, there were 1.39 million Millennials unemployed. In more recent times, Millennials were the generation most associated, with career advancement, with 26 percent of people in the UK believing Millennials would value this over a work-life balance, the most of any generation. Other traits people associated with Millennials were being financially insecure, open to different lifestyles, and a willingness to make lifestyle changes for the environment.Millennials and politics
Arguably the most important political event for Millennials in the UK so far was the Brexit vote of 2016, which saw the UK upend its relationship with Europe, and vote to Leave the European Union. Although all Millennials will have being old enough to have a say in the referendum, they were largely taken out of the EU against their will, with the majority of 18 to 34-year-old's voting to Remain in the EU. Along with their younger counterparts in Generation Z, a majority think leaving the EU was the wrong decision to have made. Additionally, support for the left-leaning Labour party is also higher among age groups that Millennials are a part of. Overall, the political and economic influence of this generation is only set to increase in the coming years. The next general election, due to be held by 2025, will likely see an even larger number of this generation enter the House of Commons as MPs, while many will enter leadership roles in the their respective professions.
