UK men with " low formal qualifications working in certain manual occupations " are at the biggest risk of being affected by Brexit , despite being among the largest group to have voted to leave the EU , according to a report by the Institute for Policy Studies ( IFS ) . Agnes Norris Keiller, co-author of the report and an economist at IFS, said: "If barriers to trade with the EU increase, particularly the sort of 'non-tariff' barriers created by customs checks and regulatory divergence, then some sectors of the economy will be affected more than others. " It warned 14 % of workers or 3.7 million people , were " very highly exposed " , and that the clothing manufacture , transport equipment , food manufacturing and the chemicals and pharmaceuticals industries faced the greatest threat of new trade barriers post - withdrawal , while up to 5 % of their jobs could be lost in the event of a no - deal Brexit .
UK men with " low formal qualifications working in certain manual occupations " are at the biggest risk of being affected by Brexit , despite being among the largest group to have voted to leave the EU , according to a report by the Institute for Policy Studies ( IFS ) . It warned 14 % of workers or 3.7 million people , were " very highly exposed " , and that the clothing manufacture , transport equipment , food manufacturing and the chemicals and pharmaceuticals industries faced the greatest threat of new trade barriers post - withdrawal , while up to 5 % of their jobs could be lost in the event of a no - deal Brexit .