Table of Contents
Introduction
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- Abbreviations
Executive Summary
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- Youth extension
- Decisions, decisions
- Education – should they stay or should they go?
- Back to the classroom?
- Working types
- Is a degree worth it?
- The wider world – apathy reigns
- Regrets – they’ve had a few
- Something to be proud of
- Money problems
- Men and women shop differently
- Leisure takes priority
- Looking forward
Demographic Background
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- Young people in the population
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- Figure 1: Population trends, by age group, 1997-2007
- Figure 2: Population trends , by those aged 18-21 and those aged 22-25, 1997-2007
- Marriage and fertility
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- Figure 3: Mean age at first marriage, England and Wales, by gender, 1986-2001
- Figure 4: Marital status of 16-24-year-olds, by gender, 2001
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- Figure 5: Mean age of mother at first birth, England and Wales, 1986-2002
- Figure 6: 18-25-year-olds with children under 16, by gender and demographic sub-group, 2003
- Figure 7: 18-25-year-olds with children under 16, by gender and socio-economic group, 2003
- Living arrangements
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- Figure 8: 18-25-year-olds, by gender, age and living arrangements, 2003
- Figure 9: Demographic profile of 18-25-year-olds, by living arrangements, 2003
- Education and employment
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- Figure 10: 18-25-year-olds, by gender, age and working status, 2003
Lifestyles and Priorities
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- How happy are they?
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- Figure 11: ‘I am very happy with my life as it is’ – 18-25-year-olds, by gender and age group, 2003
- Figure 12: ‘I am very happy with my life as it is’ – all adults and 18-25-year-olds, by gender, 2003
- Figure 13: ‘I am very happy with my life as it is’ – 18-25-year-olds, by gender and working status, 2003
- Figure 14: ‘I am very happy with my life as it is’ – 18-25-year-olds, by living arrangements, 2003
- What are their priorities?
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- Figure 15: Lifestyle priorities – 18-25-year-olds, by gender and age group, October 2002
- Decisions, decisions
- Education
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- Figure 16: Education decisions, 2003
- Figure 17: ‘I am happy with the state education system’ – 18-25-year-olds, by gender and age group, 2003
- Figure 18: ‘I am happy with the state education system ‘– 18-25-year-olds, by gender and working status, 2003
- Back to study
- What job?
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- Figure 19: Length of time with current employer – all adults and 18-24-year-olds, May 2003
- Figure 20: Number of employers in last five years – all adults and 18-24-year-olds, May 2003
- Figure 21: Plans to change jobs in next 12 months – all adults and 18-24-year-olds, May 2003
- Steady climbers
- Career-minded
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- Figure 22: ‘I look on the work I do as a career rather than just a job’– 18-25-year-olds, by gender and working status, 2003
- Figure 23: ‘I look on the work I do as a career rather than just a job’ – working 18-25-year-olds, by gender and terminal education age, 2003
- Figure 24: ‘I want to get to the very top in my career’ – 18-25-year-olds, by gender and age group, 2003
- Figure 25: ‘I want to get to the very top in my career’ – 18-25-year-olds, by gender and working status, 2003
- Figure 26: ‘I want to get to the very top in my career’ – working 18-25-year-olds, by gender and terminal education age, 2003
- Idealists
- Entrepreneurs
- Finding a job
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- Figure 27: Employment decisions, 2003
- Afraid of losing it?
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- Figure 28: ‘Job security is more important than money’ – 18-25-year-olds, by gender and age group, 2003
- Was it worth getting a degree?
- Gap in their knowledge: gap years and time out
- Pre-university
- Friends and relationships
- Steady relationship or big group of friends?
- Partner or career?
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- Figure 29: ‘It is important to be attractive to the opposite sex’ – 18-25-year-olds, by gender and age group, 2003
- Figure 30: ‘I think it’s important to have a lasting relationship with one partner’ – 18-25-year-olds, by gender and age group, 2003
- Figure 31: ‘I think it’s important to have a lasting relationship with one partner’– 18-25-year-olds, by gender and living arrangements, 2003
- Living arrangements
- Living at home
- Living in shared rented accommodation
- Living with partner
- The world outside
- On UK politics:
- On world politics:
- On the environment:
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- Figure 32: ‘I would be prepared to pay more for environmentally friendly products’ – 18-25-year-olds, by gender and age group, 2003
- Figure 33: ‘I would be prepared to pay more for environmentally friendly products’ – all adults and 18-25-year-olds, by gender, 2003
- Regrets – they’ve had a few…
- ‘I wish I'd worked harder at school’
- ‘I wish I'd gone to university’
- ‘I wish I'd had a gap year’
- ‘I wish I'd made better use of my gap year’
- ‘I wish I'd gone travelling’
- ‘I wish I'd made the most of going travelling’
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- Figure 34: ‘If only I had’ – 18-25-year-olds, 2003
- Something to be proud of…
- Personal achievements
- Academic
- Career
- Creative
- Family, friends, social life
- Independence, growing confidence
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- Figure 35: ‘Something to be proud of’ – 18-25-year-olds, 2003
- The marketing perspective
Managing Money
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- Figure 36: ‘I am perfectly happy with my standard of living’ – 18-25-year-olds, by gender and age group, 2003
- Figure 37: ‘I am perfectly happy with my standard of living’ – all adults and 18-25-year-olds, by gender, 2003
- Figure 38: ‘I am perfectly happy with my standard of living’ – 18-25-year-olds, by gender and working status, 2003
- Figure 39: ‘I am perfectly happy with my standard of living’ – 18-25-year-olds, by gender and living arrangements, 2003
- Debt
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- Figure 40: ‘I don’t like the idea of being in debt’ – 18-25-year-olds, by gender and age group, 2003
- Figure 41: ‘I don’t like the idea of being in debt’ – 18-25-year-olds, by gender and working status, 2003
- Figure 42: ‘I don’t like the idea of being in debt’ – 18-25-year-olds, by gender and living arrangements, 2003
- Low pay
- The property ladder
- A helping hand
- Money management
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- Figure 43: ‘I think I'm good at managing my money’ – 18-25-year-olds, by gender and age group, 2003
- Figure 44: ‘I think I'm good at managing my money’ – all adults and 18-25-year-olds, by gender 2003
- Figure 45: ‘I think I'm good at managing my money’ – 18-25-year-olds, by gender and working status, 2003
- Figure 46: ‘I think I'm good at managing my money’ – 18-25-year-olds, by gender and living arrangements, 2003
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- Figure 47: ‘I feel quite confident about personal finance’ – 18-25-year-olds, by gender and age group, 2003
- Figure 48: ‘I feel quite confident about personal finance’ – 18-25-year-olds, by gender and working status, 2003
- Figure 49: ‘I feel quite confident about personal finance’ – 18-25-year-olds, by gender and living arrangements, 2003
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- Figure 50: Ownership of personal finance products – all adults and 18-25-year-olds, by gender and age group, 2003
- Figure 51: Confidence about personal finance – 18-25-year-olds, by ownership of personal finance products, 2003
- Saving
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- Figure 52: ‘I am no good at saving money’ – 18-25-year-olds, by gender and age group, 2003
- Figure 53: ‘I am no good at saving money’ – 18-25-year-olds, by gender and working status, 2003
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- Figure 54: ‘I am no good at saving money’ – 18-25-year-olds, by gender and living arrangements, 2003
- The marketing perspective
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Spending Money
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- 18-25s and shopping
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- Figure 55: ‘I tend to spend money without thinking’ – 18-25-year-olds, by gender and age group, 2003
- Figure 56: ‘I tend to spend money without thinking’ – all adults and 18-25-year-olds, by gender, 2003
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- Figure 57: ‘I tend to spend money without thinking’ – 18-25-year-olds, by gender and working status, 2003
- Figure 58: ‘I tend to spend money without thinking’ – 18-25-year-olds, by gender and living arrangements, 2003
- Figure 59: ‘I really enjoy any kind of shopping’ – 18-25-year-olds, by gender and age group, 2003
- Figure 60: ‘I really enjoy any kind of shopping’– 18-25-year-olds, by gender and working status, 2003
- Figure 61: ‘I really enjoy any kind of shopping’– 18-25-year-olds, by gender and living arrangements, 2003
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- Figure 62: ‘I often buy, on impulse, products I hadn’t thought of’ – 18-25-year-olds, by gender and age group, 2003
- Figure 63: ‘I often buy, on impulse, products I hadn’t thought of’ – 18-25-year-olds, by gender and working status, 2003
- Figure 64: ‘I often buy, on impulse, products I hadn’t thought of’ – 18-25-year-olds, by gender and living arrangements, 2003
- Figure 65: ‘I often buy, on impulse, products I hadn’t thought of’ – all 18-25-year-olds and those who have a mortage or a credit card, 2003
- Figure 66: ‘When I see a new brand I often buy it to see what it’s like’ – 18-25-year-olds, by gender and age group, 2003
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- Figure 67: ‘When I see a new brand I often buy it to see what it’s like’ – 18-25-year-olds, by gender and working status, 2003
- Figure 68: ‘When I see a new brand I often buy it to see what it’s like’ – 18-25-year-olds, by gender and living arrangements, 2003
- What do they spend their money on?
- Technology
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- Figure 69: ‘I love to buy new gadgets and appliances’ – 18-25-year-olds, by gender and age group, 2003
- Figure 70: ‘‘I love to buy new gadgets and appliances’ – 18-25-year-olds, by gender and working status, 2003
- Figure 71: 'I love to buy new gadgets and appliances’ – 18-25-year-olds, by gender and living arrangements, 2003
- Audio-visual equipment
- Mobile phones
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- Figure 72: Ownership of mobile phones – all adults and 18-25-year-olds, by gender, 2003
- Computers
- Cars
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- Figure 73: Attitudes towards car ownership and purchasing – 18-25-year-olds who personally own a car, by gender, 2003
- Figure 74: Attitudes towards car ownership and purchasing – those who personally own a car, by gender and age group, 2003
- Clothes
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- Figure 75: ‘I like to keep up with the latest fashions’ – 18-25-year-olds, by gender and age group, 2003
- Figure 76: ‘I like to keep up with the latest fashions’ – all adults and 18-25-year-olds, by gender, 2003
- Figure 77: ‘I wear designer clothing’ – 18-25-year-olds, by gender and age group, 2003
- Figure 78: ‘I spend a lot of money on clothes’ – 18-25-year-olds, by gender and age group, 2003
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- Figure 79: ‘I really enjoy shopping for clothes’ – 18-25-year-olds, by gender and age group, 2003
- The marketing perspective
Young Leisure
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- Music and culture
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- Figure 80: ‘Music is an important part of my life’ – 18-25-year-olds, by gender and age group, 2003
- Figure 81: ‘Music is an important part of my life’ – 18-25-year-olds, by gender and working status, 2003
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- Figure 82: Cultural events/performances attended nowadays – 18-25-year-olds, by gender, 2003
- Figure 83: Those going to pop/rock concerts nowadays – 18-25-year-olds, by gender, age group, working status and living arrangements, 2003
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- Figure 84: Those going to the theatre/plays nowadays – 18-25-year-olds, by gender, age group, working status and living arrangements, 2003
- Figure 85: Those going to art galleries nowadays – 18-25-year-olds, by gender, age group, working status and living arrangements, 2003
- Sport and exercise
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- Figure 86: ‘I do some form of sport or exercise at least once a week’ – all adults and 18-25-year-olds, by gender, 2003
- Figure 87: ‘I do some form of sport or exercise at least once a week’ – 18-25-year-olds, by gender and age group, 2003
- Figure 88: ‘I do some form of sport or exercise at least once a week’ – 18-25-year-olds, by gender and working status, 2003
- Figure 89: ‘I do some form of sport or exercise at least once a week’ – 18-25-year-olds, by gender and living arrangements, 2003
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- Figure 90: Main sports participated in regularly – 18-25-year-olds, by gender, March 2003
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- Figure 91: Reasons for taking part in sport and exercise – 18-25-year-olds, by gender, March 2003
- Eating out and takeaways
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- Figure 92: ‘I enjoy splashing out on a meal in a restaurant’ – 18-25-year-olds, by gender and age group, 2003
- Figure 93: Frequency of visiting restaurants (daytime and evening) – 18-25-year-olds, by gender, 2003
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- Figure 94: Those who eat out at least once a month (daytime and evening) – 18-25-year-olds, by gender, age group, working status and living arrangements, 2003
- Takeaways
- Pubs and clubs
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- Figure 95: ‘I really enjoy a night out at the pub’ – 18-25-year-olds, by gender and age group, 2003
- Figure 96: ‘I really enjoy a night out at the pub’ – all adults and 18-25-year-olds, by gender, 2003
- Figure 97: ‘In the evening I often go to a bar/café/pub/club’ – 18-25-year-olds, by gender and age group, 2003
- Figure 98: ‘In the evening I often go to a bar/café/pub/club’ – 18-25-year-olds, by gender and working status, 2003
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- Figure 99: ‘In the evening I often go to a bar/café/pub/club’ – 18-25-year-olds, by gender and living arrangements, 2003
- Figure 100: Frequency of drinking in pubs (daytime and evening) – 18-25-year-olds, by gender, 2003
- Figure 101: Frequent drinkers in pubs (evenings) – 18-25-year-olds, by gender, age group, working status and living arrangements, 2003
- Figure 102: Frequency of visiting nightclubs – 18-25-year-olds, by gender, 2003
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- Figure 103: Those visiting nightclubs at least once a week – 18-25-year-olds, by gender, age group, working status and living arrangements, 2003
- Figure 104: ‘I often go dancing’ – 18-25-year-olds, by gender and age group, 2003
- Figure 105: ‘I often go dancing’ – 18-25-year-olds, by gender and working status, 2003
- Figure 106: ‘I often go dancing’ – 18-25-year-olds, by gender and living arrangements, 2003
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- Figure 107: Attitudes towards nightclubs – 18-25-year-olds, by gender, September 2002
- Alcohol, cigarettes, recreational drugs
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- Figure 108: Attitudes towards drinking alcohol – 18-25-year-olds, by gender, May 2003
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- Figure 109: Drinking alcohol at home – habits and attitudes – 18-25-year-olds, by gender, may 2003
- Figure 110: Drinking alcohol away from home – habits and attitudes – 18-25-year-olds, by gender, May 2003
- Figure 111: ‘I like to try new drinks’ – 18-25-year-olds, by gender and age group, 2003
- Figure 112: Drink most likely to drink at home – 18-25-year-olds, by gender, may 2003
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- Figure 113: Drink most likely to drink in the pub – 18-25-year-olds, by gender, may 2003
- Drugs or alcohol?
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- Figure 114: ‘Cannabis should be legalised’ – 18-25-year-olds, by gender and age group, 2003
- Figure 115: ‘Cannabis should be legalised’ – 18-25-year-olds, by gender and working status, 2003
- Cigarettes
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- Figure 116: Cigarette smokers – 18-25-year-olds, by gender, age group, working status and living arrangements, 2003
- TV, radio, recorded music
- Newspapers, magazines, books
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- Figure 117: Readership of daily newspapers – 18-25-year-olds, by gender, October 2003
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- Figure 118: Those who have read/bought at least one book in the last month – 18-25-year-olds, by gender, age group and working status, 2003
- Figure 119: Those who have bought at least five paperbacks in the last 12 months – 18-25-year-olds, by gender, age group and working status, 2003
- Holidays
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- Figure 120: Number of holidays in the last 12 months – 18-25-year-olds, by gender, age group, working status and living arrangements, 2003
- Figure 121: ‘When I go on holiday I only want to eat, drink and lie in the sun’ – 18-25-year-olds, by gender and age group, 2003
- Figure 122: ‘When I go on holiday I only want to eat, drink and lie in the sun’ – all adults and 18-25-year-olds, by gender, 2003
- Figure 123: ‘When I go on holiday I only want to eat, drink and lie in the sun’ – 18-25-year-olds, by gender and working status, 2003
- The marketing perspective
The Future
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- Figure 124: ‘I like to enjoy life and don’t worry too much about the future’ – 18-25-year-olds, by gender and age group, 2003
- Figure 125: ‘I like to enjoy life and don’t worry too much about the future’ – 18-25-year-olds, by gender and working status, 2003
- Debt
- Education
- Career
- Property
- Relationships
- Having children
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- Figure 126: ‘What I want most in my life is to have/raise children’ – 18-25-year-olds, by gender and age group, 2003
- Figure 127: ‘What I want most in my life is to have/raise children’ – 18-25-year-olds, by gender and living arrangements, 2003
- Figure 128: Having children versus career success – 18-25-year-olds, by gender and age, 2003
- Travel
- Future imperfect?
- Too many choices
- Lack of direction
- ‘We are getting older’
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- Figure 129: An uncertain future for the thresholders, 2003
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