Member Article

Pre-Christmas cheer as Greater Manchester jobseeker numbers fall

Figures released today show that 65,400 people were claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) in Greater Manchester in November 2013 – a decrease of 3,800 (5.6%) when compared with the figure for October 2013 of 69,200.

The North West (4.4%) and Great Britain (3.7%) also saw monthly declines. As a proportion of the resident working age population, 3.7% of people in Greater Manchester were claiming JSA in November – higher than the North West (3.4%) and Great Britain (2.9%).

Youth unemployment (JSA claimants aged 16-24) in Greater Manchester decreased on a monthly basis between October and November, falling by approximately 1,500 to around 16,400. On an annual basis, the number of youth JSA claimants is 30.0% (7,100) lower than this time last year.

There was a decline in long-term (6 months+) claimants in Greater Manchester in November 2013 to 30,400, a monthly fall of 2,200 (6.8%). On an annual basis the number of long-term claimants is 15.9% (5,800) lower than this time last year. The North West (17.2%) and Great Britain (15.7%) also saw annual declines in long-term claimants.

Commenting on the data Baron Frankal, director of economic strategy at New Economy, said: “We’re always encouraged by news that jobseeker numbers are continuing to fall. However, we should bear in mind the familiar pattern at this time of year, which will in all likelihood see an increase in the first quarter of 2014, as temporary seasonal jobs come to an end.

“Early in the New Year, we also expect to see what impact the newly-implemented Universal Credit system has had on JSA claimants. It’s almost certain that it will have absorbed some of those claimants that would otherwise be recorded – but it remains to be seen exactly how many.

“What we know for sure is that there is still room to improve routes to employment in Greater Manchester, as highlighted by the evidence in our recently published skills analysis. A key point is that employment is not yet back at its pre-recession level, so even though the labour market is showing signs of recovery we need to ensure that sufficient opportunities are created in Greater Manchester to drive down unemployment on a sustained basis.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Simon Malia .