Twice as many young, non-white workers in the UK have lost their jobs after being furloughed compared with the average, according to the findings from a study published on Wednesday.

This is predominantly because they are more likely to be employed within sectors impacted the most by the coronavirus pandemic.

The study carried out by the Resolution Foundation think tank said 19% of workers aged between 18 and 24 and 22% of ethnic minority employees had lost their jobs following furlough, in comparison to 9% of overall staff, Reuters reports.

The study was based on a poll of 6,000 people undertaken at the end of September, by polling company YouGov.

Job losses were prevalent in the leisure and hospitality sectors, and for people whose roles were in jeopardy before the crisis took hold the study showed, categories in which younger, non-white staff are more routinely found in the UK.

Although race did not appear to be a dominant factor on its own, age did play a part, as younger workers were more likely to leave employment, even taking into account other factors.

According to Resolution Foundation analyst Kathleen Henehan: “Worryingly, fewer than half of those who have lost their jobs during the pandemic have been able to find work since.
“This suggests that even if the public health crisis recedes in a few months’ time, Britain’s jobs crisis will be with us for far longer.”
Very few people applied for roles in other sectors from where they had previously been employed, mainly due to a lack of experience, heightening the risk of long-term unemployment.
Around nine million jobs were furloughed in Britain as the coronavirus pandemic reached its peak, with staff receiving 80% of their usual salary.
Just over two million jobs are still partly or completely furloughed.
The UK’s unemployment rate stood at 4.5% in the three months to August, as per official data. According to the Resolution Foundation, September’s jobless rate was around 7%, increasing to 20% for 18-24-year-olds.