SOUTHAMPTON has one of the lowest youth unemployment rates in the country, a new report has revealed.

The city is bucking the trend when it comes to unemployment among 16 to 24-year-olds, with fewer than 13 per cent out of work.

This compares to more than 25 per cent in many cities across the UK, according to research by the Work Foundation.

The report warned that the Government’s attempts to tackle the UK’s youth unemployment “crisis” has failed, leaving a generation of young people facing a bleak future.

Even Southampton, with fewer than 13 per cent looking for work, the research group said this is still a third higher than the national average in Germany, where 8.6 per cent of youngsters are out of work.

In Bournemouth and Portsmouth youth unemployment rates were also below average with fewer than 17 per cent of 16 to 24-year-olds on the job market.

The UK average for youths out of work is almost one in five but a number of youth unemployment “blackspots” were identified with jobless rates above 25 per cent, including Plymouth and Birmingham.

Southampton Itchen MP John Denham said: “Lower youth unemployment is generally in line with lower levels of unemployment in the south east.

“While it’s good that youth unemployment in Southampton is relatively low, too many young people end up in poorly paid and insecure jobs with few prospects for the future.”

The Daily Echo has been doing its bit with its Give Me a Chance campaign which has been helping to match young jobseekers with employers for more than two years.

The Work Foundation said youngsters leaving school with only GCSEs were more than twice as likely to be unemployed as those with better qualifications. The report called for action to improve apprenticeships, more work experience placements and batter careers advice.

Lizzie Crowley, of the Work Foundation, said: “The UK’s youth unemployment crisis continues to affect almost a million young people, even in the recovery.

“It is shocking that in some cities almost a third of young people are looking for work but are unable to find it.

“Urgent action is needed to ensure young people get the right support.”