The Recruitment & Employment Confederation (REC) has responded to a new report from the Prince’s Trust, which highlights a growing ‘aspiration gap’ among Britain’s poorest families.

The growing disparity between the aspirations of young people from rich and poor backgrounds, and the damaging effect this has on perceptions of their futures, is highlighted in the ‘Broke, not Broken’ report.

The report warns that the UK is in danger of creating “a youth underclass” if young people from deprived backgrounds are not given early help and guidance to help them fulfil their life goals, including getting into the world of work.

The Prince’s Trust was one of the organisations that contributed to the REC’s Youth Employment Taskforce, which published its recommendations to government last July.

Gillian Econopouly, the REC’s head of policy, says: “These findings again reinforce the urgent need for government, businesses and education providers to come together and provide the guidance needed to help young people meet their life goals, including getting into the world of work.

“These new findings underline the pressing need for the private and public sectors to work together to help those young people who are most susceptible to the belief that they do not have a meaningful future.”