Unemployment Monitor
This is the first of two regularly produced reports on worklessness. The monthly Unemployment Monitor focuses on jobseeker’s allowance claimants and vacancies available at Jobcentre Plus. To access the second of these reports, a quarterly Worklessness Monitor, click here.
unemployment
MONITOR
AUGUST 2010
Jobs queue remains stationary
Official figures released by DWP show that unemployment remained broadly static across Greater Manchester in July 2010. The number of jobseeker’s allowance claimants in Greater Manchester fell by just 121 to 74,325 in July 2010 – a fall of only 0.2% on June’s figures, a significantly slower reduction compared to the first half of the year. Jobseeker’s allowance claimants decreased in Greater Manchester at the same rate as the national average. 4.3% of Greater Manchester’s working age population are now claiming unemployment benefit.
The fall in the number of jobseeker’s allowance claimants was greatest in Rochdale (down 2.4% ) and Tameside (down 0.8%). Bolton, Manchester, Salford and Trafford all experienced rising numbers of job seekers.
New Economy estimate that total unemployment in Greater Manchester – which differs from the jobseeker’s allowance count as not all unemployed people claim benefits – fell over the last quarter to 121,340 between April and June, a quarterly reduction of around 6.8% . Comparatively, total unemployment has fallen nationally by 2.0%.
Figures released simultaneously by Jobcentre Plus show that the number of vacancies reported to them in Greater Manchester has increased by 11.1% compared with July 2009. Jobcentre Plus now have 15,750 active vacancies on their books.
Male claimant numbers fall as female claimant numbers rise
Male claimant numbers have fallen this month by 0.9% – a marginal decrease, compared to a fall of 3.8% last month. Conversely, female claimant numbers are now beginning to rise, and this month have grown by 2.0% – in comparison to a 3.0% fall in female claimants last month.
Female claimant numbers appear more erratic than male claimant numbers largely as a result of the smaller numbers of female claimants. Yet a growth in female claimants this month is a sign of a continuing trend, that is likely to see a fall again only after the summer months.
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For more information about the Unemployment Monitor, contact Chris Pope or phone 0161 237 4024.
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