One in 10 men on the dole in London’s job blackspots

Today's figures show that London's poorer areas are faring worst, despite the fact that many of the job losses have been in the City and Docklands.

In Hackney South and Shoreditch 10.1 per cent of men and 7.4 per cent of the total population now depend on the £64.30 a week jobseeker's allowance.

The figures come on the day that the national unemployment total hit 2.26 million, a rise of 232,000 and the worst tally since the end of 1996.

The national unemployment rate is now 7.2 per cent.

Across London there are 214,167 people signing on, 4.2 per cent of the working population and almost two-thirds more than a year ago.

The worst 10 local areas are in a sweep of east London where unemployment has soared over the past year.

The lowest rates are in Kensington and Chelsea and Wimbledon, where the proportion of people signing on for jobseeker's allowance is still only 1.8 per cent.

The number of people out of work for a year or more rose to 515,000, up 54,000 from the previous period.

Margaret Eaton, chairman of the Local Government Association, said: "Parts of the country are facing different levels and types of unemployment.

"Former industrial areas have been hit by blue collar unemployment, while white collar job losses are rising at a much quicker rate in London and the South East."

Union leaders said the rise revealed the real human cost of the recession at a time when official economic figures suggest that the worst of the downturn could be over.

Brendan Barber, general secretary of the Trades Union Congress, said: "[Employment figures] will take years, not months, to recover. In the recession of the Nineties, unemployment didn't begin falling until 18 months after the economy resumed growing."

Figures published today by the Conservatives showed hundreds of chief executives and company directors have signed on for the jobseeker's'allowance in London and the South-East.

There were 570 directors and chief executives claiming the dole in April, a 200 per cent rise on a year earlier, as well as 625 architects, a 1,036 per cent rise.

There were 570 lawyers or solicitors claiming benefits, a 375 per cent rise.

Rises in financial workers on the dole included investment analysts, totalling 1,830 in April, up from 510 in a year, and brokers, up to 425 from 175.

The number of unemployed management consultants, accountants and advertising managers has also soared.