Yahoo Finance Brits to miss out on £64bn by choosing not to have summer jobs
Brits stand to miss out on over £64bn ($80.8bn) of income by passing up summer jobs this year, new research shows.
A survey of over 2,000 people by Gumtree found just a third (34%) of Brits are planning to get a summer job this year.
According to ONS figures, Brits earn an average of £1,832 from each summer job – meaning £33.7bn is being made across the UK from seasonal opportunities.
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However, two thirds (66%) of people said they have decided not to work – meaning they could be missing out on a collective £64.3bn.
Just a quarter of Brits said they recognise the long-term benefits of a summer job, with 26% agreeing it equips them with excellent life skills, and 8% planning on having more than one role this season.
The study also revealed Brits’ top 10 dream summer jobs – with working on an animal conservation project (23%) and being a pet or house sitter (21%) topping the list of most sought-after roles.
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David Attenborough’s Our Planet appears to have inspired the nation, as working as a tropical island care taker (21%) and working on a safari (20%) also made the list.
But the job Brits most likely see themselves working in this season is a retail assistant or a volunteer.
Almost one in five (19%) Brits who is planning on working this summer said they expect to be in a shop or volunteering.
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Another 18% said they will probably take up dog-walking, while 13% plan to get a job as a member of hospitality staff.
And just a third (34%) of Brits plan to save their seasonal earnings, with most spending the money on clothes (29%) food and drink (27%) or and holidays (23%), while a quarter need it for rent.
