Over 14,000 will spend their second successive Christmas on the dole in the East Midlands

Over 14,000 east midland people will be spending their second successive Christmas on the dole, a TUC analysis of labour market statistics reveals today (Wednesday).
The TUC analysis shows that the number of people in the region claiming Jobseeker’s allowance (JSA) for over 12 months has increased from 6,400 in December 2008 to 14,350 in November 2009 and the number of long-term dole claimants will continue to rise into the new year, the TUC says.

The national analysis reveals that 58 local authority areas already have over 1,000 long-term JSA claimants, compared to just 19 in December 2008. In the east midlands there are two local authorities, Leicester and Nottingham, which have exceeded two thousand JSA claimants. Northampton and Derby have both seen significant increases in the long term unemployed, pushing both local authority areas closer to 1,000 JSA claimants. The number of JSA claimants has more than doubled in 34 local authority areas across the east midlands, with sharp rises away from the three cities in areas such as Erewash, Corby, Blaby, Daventry and Melton.


Midlands TUC Regional Secretary Cheryl Pidgeon said: “The festive period is an expensive time of year and the 200,000 people spending their second Christmas on the dole face even greater financial hardship.
“While millions of working families are enjoying their Christmas food and presents together, those reliant on JSA will struggle to afford much Christmas cheer.
“Every job loss is a human tragedy, but when people are out of work for over a year they risk being permanently scarred by joblessness.
“Government investment has kept unemployment well below the levels reached in previous recessions, but there can be no room for complacency.
“The Government should extend its job guarantee for young people to anyone out of work for 18 months to stop people getting mired in semi-permanent joblessness.”

For the full release and statistics go to: http://www.tuc.org.uk/economy/tuc-17373-f0.cfm?regional=6