A-level results - as number of unemployed rises, thousands set to miss out on university unlikely to have a plan B

The union warned that those set to miss out on a university place risk joining the dole queue, rather than finding work or a place to study as figures released this morning show that the number of unemployed people in the UK has risen by 38,000. UCU also pointed to the fact that record numbers of young people are already not studying or working.
 
UCU general secretary, Sally Hunt, said: 'We can expect to see a repeat of last year's frustrating situation when more than 200,000 students were left without a university place. Young people getting their A-level results tomorrow have been encouraged to aim higher and apply to university. They have done just that and are now having the door slammed shut in their faces.
 
'The real issue for those who miss out is what to do next? Almost one in five young people aged 19 to 24 in England are not studying or working and those who miss out this year are unlikely to have a viable plan B.
 
'Unless the government looks again at increasing the number of funded university places we risk the consigning thousands of qualified and talented people to join the increasing numbers of unemployed.'