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‘I’m barely sleeping’: One in five young women have lost work due to coronavirus, with some facing destitution

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One in five young women have lost work because of coronavirus chaos, a damning study which warns the crisis is inflaming pre-existing inequalities has found.

A report by Young Women’s Trust unearthed a slew of distressing stories of women hit hardest by lockdown who are facing destitution and struggling to buy food and other basics.

Women are overrepresented in hospitality, leisure, tourism and the arts – industries where thousands of workers have been furloughed or laid off due to the public health emergency.

The study, which polled almost 200 young women aged between 18 and 30, found over half said their financial situation has been damaged by the global crisis.

While many said they are having to do a great deal of unpaid care work due to having to look after people who have contracted Covid-19 and also picking up the slack from schools closing.

One woman, who chose to remain anonymous, said: “Two weeks before lockdown I just started my apprenticeship, so my employer had to let me go. And I had not been referred for furlough. Meaning I have no means of income except from my pay of two weeks which is only an apprentice wage”.

Kira, who chose not to include her last name, said: “I am awaiting my first [Universal Credit] payment since I stopped working just before the crisis. So [that] has left me with no money to buy essentials.”

Another woman said she was struggling to work from home with her child so is winding up having to work through the night instead.

“It is not safe to work during my contracted hours because my toddler is active and therefore I have to work throughout the night – which leaves me exhausted during the day,” she said.

A woman called Laura said she was also struggling to find time to sleep due to juggling additional childcare duties with still working.

She added: “I’m trying to teach my son whilst teaching and supporting all my students, whilst also making sure we are safe and have all the things we need. It’s mentally exhausting and I’m barely sleeping through the stress of it all.

“I’m worried about my son having learnt enough whilst off school so he is academically fine. And I’m worried about all our mental health. We live in a tiny flat with no green.”

Female key workers who spoke to researchers said they felt like they were massively overworked and deeply stressed.

One woman said: “I have asked my employer to furlough me as I am six months pregnant, they are refusing and telling me to apply for Statutory Sick Pay.”

Joe Levenson, of Young Women’s Trust, a charity which helps young women on low or no pay, said young women, especially those finding it difficult to subsist, were “too often ignored, undervalued and underpaid” prior to coronavirus breaking out but their situation has deteriorated.

“As vital workers and caregivers, young women are currently at the core of the nation’s response to the coronavirus pandemic, but as our research shows, they are facing financial hardship, taking on yet more caring responsibilities and their mental health is suffering,” he added.

“We are especially concerned that women’s equality will move backwards in the absence of a strong focus within government and from employers on preventing this from happening – and are urging those in charge of recovery planning to ensure that no young woman is left behind.”

A report by the London School of Economics recently found that women are more likely than men to lose their jobs in the forthcoming recession because a greater proportion work in “locked-down sectors”, which are predicted to be hardest hit – with researchers noting this is a key difference between the forthcoming economic crisis and the 2008 financial crash.

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