Future expectations amongst young people in the United Kingdom: prevalence and patterns across generations and socioeconomic groups

Alexander W. O'Donnell and Alexandra Wake

No 2025-04, ISER Working Paper Series from Institute for Social and Economic Research

Abstract: Using UKHLS Youth Module data, we examined 16-year-olds’ future expectations with latent profile analysis. Most young people anticipated higher education, marriage, and children, while a “Career-Focused†group prioritised education and employment over family. The smallest group (~6%) held low expectations for study, work, and parenthood, and anticipated unemployment. Every £100 increase in equivalised weekly household income raised the odds of belonging to the most aspirational class by 5% versus the low-expectations group. Longitudinally, the lowexpectations group had lowest education, prolonged unemployment, and highest parenthood before 21. Understanding these distinct profiles provides insights to support adolescents transitioning to adulthood.

Date: 2025-10-20
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Published

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.iser.essex.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/fi ... ers/iser/2025-04.pdf (application/pdf)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ese:iserwp:2025-04

Ordering information: This working paper can be ordered from
Publications Office, Institute for Social and Economic Research, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester, Essex CO4 3SQ UK
https://www.iser.essex.ac.uk/publications/

Access Statistics for this paper

More papers in ISER Working Paper Series from Institute for Social and Economic Research Publications Office, Institute for Social and Economic Research, University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester, Essex CO4 3SQ UK. Contact information at EDIRC.
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Jonathan Nears ().