The recent WBG report, When One Job Isn’t Enough: Young Women and Multiple Jobholding, reveals that around one in ten young women aged 16–29 were working more than one job at the same time in 2023–24, with the figure rising to nearly one in four over the course of a year when short-term work is included. These are not marginal numbers, they point to a structural issue in the labour market that disproportionately affects young women.
Across the UK, a growing number of young women are juggling more than one job just to make ends meet. This new research highlights a troubling reality: for many, multiple jobholding is not a lifestyle choice or a pathway to ambition, it is a necessity driven by insecure work, low pay and limited hours.
A System That Doesn’t Work for Women
Young women are more likely than any other group to hold multiple jobs. But this is rarely about choice. Instead, it reflects deeper problems:
- Low pay and insufficient hours mean one job often isn’t enough to live on
- Insecure and temporary contracts push women to seek additional income streams
- Unpredictable schedules make it difficult to plan finances or personal lives
Many describe their working lives as “constantly juggling, never secure” . This instability is particularly acute in sectors such as hospitality and retail, where part-time roles and fluctuating hours are common.
The Hidden Costs
While multiple jobholding may help young women get by financially in the short term, it comes with significant long-term consequences:
- Mental health and wellbeing
Young women already report lower job-related wellbeing than men. Juggling multiple roles often reduces leisure time and increases stress, contributing to burnout and anxiety. - Limited career progression
Working across multiple jobs leaves little time for training, skills development or advancement, trapping many in low-paid roles. - Financial insecurity later in life
Fragmented work patterns mean many young women miss out on pension contributions. Because auto-enrolment thresholds apply per job, those earning below £10,000 in each role may not qualify even if their combined income is higher.
Why This Matters Now
The rise in multiple jobholding is happening against the backdrop of the cost-of-living crisis and wider labour market shifts. Yet, standard employment statistics often fail to capture the full picture, underestimating how many women are affected.
This matters because what gets measured gets prioritised. If policymakers do not fully see the scale of the issue, it risks remaining unaddressed – entrenching gender inequalities across women’s working lives.
What Needs to Change
Addressing this challenge requires more than small adjustments – it calls for a shift in how we understand and respond to women’s work:
- Recognise multiple jobholding as a structural issue, not an anomaly
- Reform pension rules to ensure all workers can build long-term security
- Invest in enforcement, ensuring rights are not just promised but delivered
At its core, this is about ensuring that work provides stability, dignity and opportunity – not just survival.
Moving Forward
Multiple jobholding among young women is not just a labour market trend, it is a warning sign. It tells us that too many women are being failed by systems that should support them.
If we are serious about gender equality, economic growth and social wellbeing, we must ensure that one job is enough.
