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90 per cent rise in women claiming dole as recession takes toll in London suburbs
Nicholas Cecil, Deputy Political Editor18 Jan 2010
Women in London have been hardest hit by the recession with a 90 per cent increase in the number claiming the dole since the credit crisis hit, the Standard has found.
In comparison, there was a 63 per cent rise in men claiming jobseeker's allowance between April 2008 and last November.
This contrasts with the nationwide trend in which hundreds of thousands of men have lost their jobs, prompting warnings of a “Full Monty generation” recession.
The figures also show how dole queues have grown at the fastest rate in some of the wealthiest boroughs. South-west London has seen the steepest rises in women on jobseeker's allowance in the capital.
In Kingston, 902 were claiming the dole last November, up 170 per cent compared with 334 in April 2008.
The second sharpest rise was in Richmond, up 153 per cent to 883, followed by Sutton, rising 141 per cent to 1,223.
Female unemployment also doubled in Hillingdon, Hounslow, Harrow, Kensington and Chelsea, Hammersmith & Fulham, Merton, Wandsworth, Ealing, Barnet, Bexley and Bromley. Ahead of the latest unemployment figures being published on Wednesday, shadow work and pensions secretary Theresa May said: “It is very disturbing that so many women across London seem to be the victims of Gordon Brown's recession.” Overall, the number of women on the dole in the capital increased from 39,501 to 74,982 over the 19-month period, according to the Office of National Statistics figures.
Employment expert Professor Ian Gordon, from the London School of Economics, said the fact that manufacturing, which is predominantly a male sector, had been hard hit partly explained why men in London, which has little such industry, had been less affected than those in other regions. “There's still a puzzle why female unemployment has gone up so much in London,” he added, although there was a similar picture on job losses in Manchester and Glasgow.
For men, the sharpest jump was also in Kingston, up 133 per cent to 1,683, followed by Richmond, Havering and Hillingdon. The male rise in unemployment for the whole of London was from 90,482 to 147,749 since the start of the recession. The Department for Work and Pensions stressed that last month the number of women claiming jobseeker's allowance in London fell.
Nationwide, female unemployment has risen in line with London, with just over 200,000 more women on jobseeker's allowance.
However, 530,000 more men have gone on the dole, with an 88 per cent increase in claimants.
Employment minister Jim Knight said: “Unemployment is around 450,000 lower than predicted.”
Reader views (2)
How many of those made redundant were is non-productive jobs? Too many people consider paper shuffling as a job. Let's get this country back on its feet by creating, producing and exporting.
- Dannyp, Egham, 18/01/2010 15:46
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Quote - Employment minister Jim Knight said: “Unemployment is around 450,000 lower than predicted.”
The unemployment figures do not included all the foreigners that have been made unemployed, that had returned to their home countries nor the army of part timers who are ineligible for benefits and therefore have not signed on.
This is the difference between this recession and when we last had mass unemployed. Then part time working was only done by a very small proportion of the work force and the number of foreign workers was also very much smaller.
One can make stats fit any argument you want; but these figures hardly gives Brown much credibility for his handling for the economy. Unemployment unfortunately will get far worse this year. With many firms having to cut back or face going to the wall.
- Brian G, Norfolk Gorleston, 18/01/2010 12:19
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