Today’s figures show that long-term unemployment (over 12 months) has increased, reaching 438,000, 54,000 higher than in October 2007.

The number of redundancies in August-October 2008 have also risen 180,000 – up from 139,000 in May–July 2008 – with increases across all industries. The worst affected areas have been distribution, hotels and restaurants, transport and communications, and finance and business services.

In this context we are renewing our calls for Jobseekers Allowance to be increased to give some relief to the millions of people faced with a sudden reduction in their income. Importantly, this measure would also help the wider economy as experts agree that putting money into the hands of those who need it most is the fastest way to provide an economic stimulus, as these people are more likely to spend their cash.

Watch this space for our recession report which will be posted here by the end of the day on Friday.

   Filed under: Employment, Recession, Welfare | No Comments »

Today’s unemployment figures show that at the end of October this year 1,864,000 people in the UK were unemployed. We predict that by the time we get the figures for December they will show that 2 million people were out of work and seeking it over Christmas. Even more concerning is the rise in the claimant count - which reflects the situation in November and therefore draws on more recent data. This month there has been a 75,700 increase in the number of people claiming JSA - demonstrating a dramatic increase in the rate at which people are losing their jobs. Read more »

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Today’s papers were full of reports about new welfare policies to stop the evil unemployed from stealing our taxes. But although nationwide lie detector tests and ‘one strike and you’re out‘ sanctions have been heavily trailed, I have yet to find reference to them in any Ministerial comments (please let me know if you have). The policy references that we do have are from the Gregg review (heavily spun as a scrouger crackdown) and the Welfare Reform Green Paper - which has attracted heavy criticism. The TUC does not oppose benefit sanctions for those knowingly defrauding the system. But all of the evidence shows that it is only a tiny minority who are engaged in this behaviour - and that neither of the Government’s two leaked but not yet confirmed proposals would actually work. Read more »

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The Government’s attack on unemployed people continued today, with the publication of proposals which still seem likely to introduce work for benefits schemes for those who have been out of work for two years or more. This is depite the Gregg Review concluding yesterday that workfare doesn’t work. Read more »

   Filed under: Employment, Labour market, Politics, Recession, Welfare | 1 Comment »

Last month 10,000 people came to the End Child Poverty rally in Trafalgar square to urge the government to keep the promise to halve child poverty by 2010; the key measure we were demanding was an extra £3 billion in tax credits and benefits for children. Did today’s pre-budget report move us closer to this goal?

Read more »

   Filed under: Child poverty, Employment, Inequality, Liveblogging the PBR, Recession, Tax, Welfare | 1 Comment »

Yesterday I said that Tony McNulty’s response to the TUC’s call for a modest rise in JSA had gone unreported.

But readers of the Sun and Daily Mail were treated to an extended version - which while only quoting “a source”  used identical language.

The Mail says:

“The biggest crackdown on unemployment benefits for more than a decade is being planned by ministers”

Read more »

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The TUC’s call for better benefits for the newly unemployed got good coverage yesterday. It’s a good way to stimulate the economy quickly, and would make the process of losing your job just a bit less traumatic. There is something wrong if people losing their jobs in this recession under a Labour government face a bigger drop in their income than those who lost their jobs under previous governments.

Read more »

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This week the social mobility wars have started again - both parties think we need more of it but have different views on how to get there. But do any of their proposals address the real problems? Getting On Getting Ahead sets out Labour’s case for how Government might ensure more people have a chance of getting better jobs. The Conservatives have called it pointless spin, claiming that limited increases in social mobility mean Labour policy on poverty has failed.

The Labour position is not perfect - despite much helpful analysis the role that inequality has in tackling social mobility is not touched on. But the Conservative position is reactionary and dangerous, paving a return to the misery of the 80s for low-paid Britain. Read more »

   Filed under: Inequality, Politics, Skills, Welfare | 2 Comments »

I’ve been using this blog to moan about the Government’s harsh line on unemployed people, and on benefit claimants more generally, but you can rely on the Conservative Party conference to prove that there’s still clear blue water between Labour and the Opposition.

Chris Grayling, the Conservative spokesperson, seems to believe that the reason we have unemployed people is that they can’t be bothered “to get out of the house and to do something” and that the way to deal with this is to threaten them with taking away their benefits for up to three years. Read more »

   Filed under: Labour market, Welfare | 1 Comment »

There’s an interesting entry today on Stumbling and Mumbling, looking at the latest Tax Benefit Model Tables. It quite rightly highlights the fact that a single person who leaves Jobseeker’s Allowance for a 16 hours a week job at the minimum wage will be just £8.42 a week better off; if one member of a couple with no children gets the same job they will actually be £6.63 a week worse off. Read more »

   Filed under: Child poverty, Labour market, Welfare | No Comments »