Research reports

Health and physical wellbeing

A Recipe for Success: How Do Children and Young People Want To Access Food in Their Communities?

Barnardo's & Co-op · 2024

This report by Barnardo's and Co-op examines how children and young people want to access food in their communities, focusing on community spaces rather than home or school. Using focus groups, two surveys and a Co-op member poll, the report finds that cost, accessibility and holiday hunger are the biggest barriers young people face, with 23% of secondary school voters unable to access healthy food in their community. The report makes six policy recommendations aimed at government and retailers, including establishing local food partnerships, expanding retail discount schemes to 16–17 year-olds, and addressing holiday hunger after the HAF programme ends.

Young people consultedFocus groupSurveyUK-wide

Mental health and wellbeing

Generation Isolation 2024: OnSide's Annual Study into Young People's Lives Outside School

OnSide Youth Zones · 2024

This annual survey of 5,213 young people aged 11–18 in England finds that 76% spend most of their free time on screens, 51% report high or very high anxiety, and 44% report high or very high loneliness. Most young people spend their free time at home, often alone or communicating online rather than socialising in person. The report also explores young people's views on youth services, finding that 85% do not attend a youth centre, but 93% of those who do say it has made a positive difference to their lives. Key drivers of screen use include boredom, habit, and a lack of safe spaces to meet friends in real life.

SurveyEngland

Civic participation and youth voice

Youth Voices 2024

The Duke of Edinburgh's Award · 2024

This large-scale mixed-methods study surveyed over 3,600 young people aged 14–24 across the UK to capture their attitudes, priorities, and political engagement. The research found that mental health, cost of living, housing, and employment were young people's top concerns, while they feel significantly disconnected from politicians who they believe prioritise issues like immigration and foreign policy over their daily realities. Despite two-thirds having taken part in at least one political activity in the past three months, only 40% of eligible young people said they were likely to vote, citing distrust and a belief that their vote would not make a difference. The report calls on MPs to back a Youth Pledge committing to embed youth voice in all levels of policy and decision-making.

Co-producedSurveyFocus groupUK-wide

Housing and homelessness

ymca trapped in the cost of living

YMCA England & Wales · 2024

This YMCA England & Wales report revisits the impact of the cost of living crisis on young people in supported housing, 18 months after an initial 2022 study. Drawing on focus groups with 131 residents and interviews with 32 staff across 15 YMCAs in England, it finds that food poverty, unaffordable energy bills, rent arrears, and inability to save remain acute problems, with little improvement since 2022. Residents feel trapped by the Housing Benefit work taper, a punishing Universal Credit system, and bleak prospects for moving on to independent living. The report calls for reforms including an Essentials Guarantee, adjustments to the Housing Benefit work taper, a Universal Credit top-up for under-25s in supported accommodation, and free travel passes.

Focus groupInterviewEngland

Digital life and online safety

What Role Does Social Media Play in Violence Affecting Young People?

Youth Endowment Fund · 2024

This report from the Youth Endowment Fund examines how social media platforms expose teenage children to real-life violent content and how this affects their behaviour and sense of safety. Drawing on a survey of 10,000 young people aged 13–17 in England and Wales, it finds that 70% have seen real-life violent content online in the past year, with a quarter of that content algorithmically pushed by platforms such as TikTok and X. The research also links online exposure to offline violence: 16% of respondents reported perpetrating a violent incident, and nearly two-thirds of those said social media played a role. Findings are intended to inform policymakers, practitioners, and social media companies on safeguarding and youth violence prevention.

Young people consultedSurveyEnglandWales

Education, learning and attainment

Young Persons' Money Index 2022/23: examining the delivery of financial education in schools and the financial capability of young people in the UK

London Institute of Banking and Finance · 2023

This annual survey of over 2,000 UK secondary school pupils aged 15–18 tracks access to financial education in schools and young people's financial knowledge, attitudes and behaviours. The 2022/23 edition found that the proportion of students reporting access to financial education in school dropped significantly from 73% to 62%, while 82% said they want to learn more about money at school — up 10% on the previous year. Young people's financial knowledge remains patchy, with many unable to correctly answer basic questions about credit, debt and APR, and most relying on parents rather than schools for financial understanding. The cost-of-living crisis has increased financial anxiety, with 70% saying rising costs made them more worried about money.

SurveyUK-wide

Mental health and wellbeing

The maternal mental health experiences of young mums

Maternal Mental Health Alliance · 2023

This joint briefing explores the maternal mental health experiences of young mothers aged 16–25 across the UK, combining focus groups with 20 young mums and a rapid literature review. Young mums face significantly higher rates of perinatal mental illness, including postnatal depression and suicide risk, compounded by stigma, poverty, housing difficulties, and care experience. The report finds that young mums frequently feel judged and dismissed by statutory services, while dedicated voluntary sector services offering holistic, non-judgemental support produce much more positive outcomes. It calls for updated national frameworks, greater investment in universal and specialist perinatal mental health services, and co-production of support pathways with young mothers themselves.

Focus groupSecondary analysisUK-wide

Mental health and wellbeing

Generation Isolation: OnSide's annual study into young people's lives outside school (2023)

OnSide · 2023

This annual survey by OnSide explores how young people aged 11–18 in England spend their time outside school, finding that 80% spend most of their free time at home and 76% on screens. The report highlights the impact of the cost of living crisis, with 26% of young people having stopped out-of-school activities as a result. It also finds that 50% of young people report high or very high feelings of anxiety, and that only 9% attend a youth club — despite 89% of those who do saying it has made a positive difference to their lives. The findings are used to make the case for greater investment in youth centres and youth work.

SurveyEngland

Health and physical wellbeing

1,000 Young Voices

StreetGames (with Platypus Research) · 2023

This report by Platypus Research on behalf of StreetGames segments young people aged 11–24 from lower-income households in Great Britain according to their attitudes, motivations, emotions and barriers relating to sport and physical activity. Seven distinct segments are identified, ranging from those held back by low confidence to enthusiastic competitors, with each profile described in detail to guide targeted interventions. Key findings include that one in three of these young people feel limited control over their lives, two in five have felt discriminated against in sporting contexts, and cost is the most commonly cited practical barrier — though psychological barriers such as anxiety and self-consciousness are especially significant for girls and neurodivergent young people. The segments are intended as a practical tool for StreetGames and partners to design more effective, targeted programmes to increase participation.

SurveyFocus groupUK-wide

Civic participation and youth voice

Young People in Scotland 2022: volunteering analysis

Volunteer Scotland · 2023

This report analyses volunteering participation among secondary school pupils in Scotland, drawing on a 2022 survey of 1,533 pupils aged 11–18. It finds a significant decline in both formal (down 12 percentage points to 37%) and informal (down 7 percentage points to 18%) volunteering since 2019, with COVID-19 and the cost of living crisis identified as likely drivers. Key findings include that older pupils (17–18) were more resilient to the decline, that gender parity in formal volunteering was reached for the first time, and that young people with long-term health conditions volunteered at higher rates than those without. The report recommends including volunteering in the school curriculum and adapting volunteer-involving organisations' practices to enable young people to volunteer with friends.

SurveySecondary analysisScotland

Health and physical wellbeing

Core Health: A Youth Voice Enquiry (CORE20PLUS5 Young People)

Peer Power Youth · 2023

This report by Peer Power Youth captures the healthcare experiences and views of 48 children and young people with lived experience of the youth justice system and secure settings in England. Key findings include significant barriers to accessing healthcare, health inequalities linked to identity (race, gender, neurodiversity), and a concept the participants named "forced resilience" — the emotional and psychological toll of being incarcerated with limited autonomy. Young people made concrete recommendations around improving healthcare access, trauma-informed staff practice, trusted relationships, and the clinical focus areas of the NHS Core20PLUS5 strategy for children and young people.

Co-producedSurveyFocus groupEngland

Criminal justice and youth violence

Surrey Youth Commission Report on Police and Crime

Leaders Unlocked / Surrey PCC · 2023

The Surrey Youth Commission (SYC), made up of young people aged 14–25, conducted peer-to-peer research with over 1,600 young people across Surrey to explore five priorities: substance misuse and exploitation, violence against women and girls, cybercrime, mental health, and relationships with the police. Key findings include that substance misuse is highly normalised, almost all young women had experienced some form of gender-based violence, cybercrime is widespread and severely under-reported, and many young people face significant barriers to mental health support. The report makes practical recommendations to Surrey Police, the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, and the SYC itself to improve services, awareness, and trust between young people and policing.

Co-producedSurveyInterviewSouth East

Care experience and family

Adoption UK Adoption Barometer 2023

Adoption UK · 2023

The Adoption Barometer 2023 is the fifth annual UK-wide survey of adoption lived experience, drawing on over 16,700 unique survey responses from prospective adopters, adoptive parents, and adult adoptees. The report finds that while some areas have improved—such as increased direct birth family contact and positive outcomes from the Adoption Support Fund in England—most adoptive families still struggle to access timely, specialist support, and families with older children are twice as likely to be in crisis. Adult adoptees in particular feel abandoned by services, with very few able to access free, adoption-informed therapeutic support. The report makes wide-ranging recommendations for governments across all four UK nations to fund and reform adoption support throughout the lifespan.

Young people consultedSurveyUK-wide

Employment, skills and economic security

Breaking Barriers to Work: Exploring the Impact of the Benefits System on Young People Living in Supported Accommodation and Their Ability to Work

YMCA England & Wales · 2023

This report by YMCA England & Wales examines how the benefits system creates barriers to employment for young people living in YMCA supported accommodation. Key findings include that Housing Benefit tapering financially penalises residents who take up paid work, that benefit levels — especially for under-25s — are too low to cover basic essentials, and that benefit sanctions frequently push young people into food insecurity and worsen their mental health. The report makes seven policy recommendations, including introducing a Universal Credit work allowance for supported accommodation residents, an Essentials Guarantee for benefits, and relaxing the sanctions regime for this cohort.

Focus groupSurveyEnglandWales

Mental health and wellbeing

Young people’s mental health in the workplace

Institute for Employment Studies (IES) · 2023

This report examines the mental health experiences of 2,000 young workers aged 16–25 across the four UK nations, focusing on workplace culture, disclosure practices, and support provision. It finds that nearly half of respondents had a mental health condition or challenge, yet over two-fifths did not disclose this to their employer — mainly due to discomfort or fear of consequences. Only around two-fifths felt their workplace had a supportive culture around mental health, and three in ten had left or planned to leave a job because of its impact on their mental health. Disadvantaged groups — including women, disabled young people, and those in low-paid or part-time roles — consistently reported worse experiences and less access to support.

SurveyUK-wide

Health and physical wellbeing

Gambling Commission Young People and Gambling Survey 2023

Gambling Commission · 2023

This annual survey by the Gambling Commission, conducted by Ipsos, explores gambling behaviours, attitudes and awareness among 11 to 17 year olds in Great Britain. Around a quarter of young people (26%) had spent their own money on gambling in the past year, with arcade gaming machines and informal bets among the most common activities. A small proportion were identified as problem gamblers (0.7%) or at-risk gamblers (1.5%). The report also examines exposure to gambling in the home and the emotional impact of gambling on young people.

SurveyUK-wide

Mental health and wellbeing

MH2K Derby and Derbyshire A Youth-led approach to exploring mental health

Leaders Unlocked · 2023

MH:2K Derby and Derbyshire is a youth-led mental health research project in which 25 young people aged 14–25 acted as 'Citizen Researchers', designing and delivering peer research with 734 young people across Derby and Derbyshire in 2022–23. The research focused on three pathways: eating disorders, digital services and social media, and health inequalities. Key findings show that young people from minoritised communities, LGBTQ+ backgrounds, and those with long-term health conditions face intersecting barriers to accessing mental health support, including stigma, lack of cultural competence, poor service awareness, and long waiting times. The report makes practical recommendations for commissioners and providers on improving equity, confidentiality, digital engagement, and service accessibility.

Youth-ledSurveyInterviewEast Midlands

Health and physical wellbeing

Streetgames 1000 Young Voices Youth Insights Summary Report

StreetGames · 2023

StreetGames commissioned Platypus Research to segment young people aged 11–24 from lower-income households by their attitudes and behaviours towards sport and physical activity. The study identified seven distinct segments ranging from highly enthusiastic participants to those who are actively disengaged, revealing that cost, lack of confidence, anxiety, and self-consciousness are the most significant barriers — particularly for girls and neurodivergent young people. Key findings include that two in five young people worry about their family's finances, one in three feel they have limited control over their lives, and around two in five have experienced discrimination when taking part in sport. The report provides actionable segmentation profiles to help StreetGames design targeted interventions to increase participation among under-served young people.

SurveyFocus groupUK-wide

Employment, skills and economic security

Cost of Living and University Students 2023

Sutton Trust · 2023

This report presents polling data from 1,050 UK university students on the financial impact of the cost of living crisis during the 2022–23 academic year. Key findings show that over 63% spent less on food and essentials, 27.8% skipped meals, and nearly a quarter reported being slightly or much less likely to finish their degree as a result. Many students sought additional financial support, with 44.6% turning to parents and 26.6% taking on a job or more hours at work.

SurveyUK-wide

Care experience and family

Young Carer Survey 2023: Being a Young Carer is Not a Choice

Carers Trust · 2023

This UK-wide survey of 1,109 young carers and young adult carers aged 12–25 explores their experiences of education, paid work, finances, mental health, and social life. Key findings show that over half spend 20–49 hours per week caring, 44% feel stressed always or usually because of their caring role, and 40% rarely or never receive help in education to balance their responsibilities. The report calls on UK governments to publish a national carers strategy, improve mental health support, appoint Young Carers Leads in all educational institutions, and extend financial support including Carer's Allowance to those in full-time education.

Young people consultedSurveyUK-wide

Mental health and wellbeing

Our City, Our Future: Understanding the Needs of Young People in Westminster in 2023/24

Young Westminster Foundation / Rocket Science · 2023

This peer-led needs analysis explores the experiences of young people aged 13–25 living in the London Borough of Westminster in 2023, covering themes including cost of living, mental health, education and employment, crime and safety, physical health, and social media. Key findings include a sharp rise in perceived pressure to succeed educationally and in employment, growing concern about vaping and mental health among peers, and an increase in young people wanting to reduce their social media use. The report also includes practitioner and parent/carer perspectives, a wellbeing survey, and three deep-dives into employment in North Paddington, wellbeing, and serious youth violence.

Co-producedInterviewFocus groupLondon

Health and physical wellbeing

Health Report 2023

LGBT Youth Scotland · 2023

This report examines LGBTQ+ young people's experiences of health services in Scotland, drawing on qualitative responses from 1,279 participants in the Life in Scotland for LGBT Young People 2022 survey. Key findings show that young people face significant barriers to healthcare including long waiting lists (particularly for gender identity services), staff lacking understanding of LGBTQ+ identities, experiences of discrimination and misgendering, and difficulties disclosing their identity safely. The report makes concrete recommendations for NHS Boards and the Scottish Government on improving LGBTQ+ inclusivity in mental health, sexual health, and gender identity services.

SurveySecondary analysisScotland

Mental health and wellbeing

The Life of a Top Boy: On Trauma and Violence in the Community

Juvenis · 2023

This qualitative study explores the lived experiences of eight young Black men (aged 19–32) in London who were exposed to gang-affiliated violence, focusing on how they make sense of trauma and PTSD. Participants described the normalisation of violence in their communities, hypervigilant coping behaviours, interactions with the police as a traumatic stressor, and the socioeconomic factors that shaped their exposure to danger. The research finds that existing PTSD frameworks fail to capture the chronic, ongoing nature of trauma faced by this population, and that mental health services are poorly equipped to meet their needs. Recommendations are made for mental health professionals, statutory services, and future research to better recognise and respond to trauma among gang-affiliated Black men.

Co-producedInterviewLondon

Health and physical wellbeing

Young People's Right to Food Young people's experiences of accessing food, and recommendations for improvements within Scotlands food system

Scottish Youth Parliament · 2023

This report by the Scottish Youth Parliament (SYP) presents findings from a survey of 846 young people aged 12–26 across Scotland about their experiences of accessing food. Key findings show that around 7–9% of respondents struggled to afford food, nearly half perceived stigma around asking for food help, and only two-fifths knew about local food support available to them. The report makes five recommendations, including extending free school meals to all secondary pupils, involving young people in school meal decision-making, and eliminating stigma around food support.

Co-producedSurveyScotland

Results