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One in three London adults is workless, costing the state £5billion a year, it was claimed today.
Researchers said national job schemes were "under-performing" in the capital and urged a rethink.
However, the report was criticised for including as inactive 400,000 students, plus carers and people who had taken early retirement. The study was carried out for London Councils - a lobby group that claims boroughs are better placed to attract jobs.
Stuart Fraser of London Councils said: "Boroughs are already in contact with people who are out of work and, given more opportunity from Whitehall, councils can provide unemployed people with a whole package of support which is individually tailored to their training, childcare and housing or health issues."
A work and pensions spokesman said: "Unemployment is half a million lower than expected last year. However, we will not cut back on support for jobs."
Reader views (2)
Jury Team regard the level of unemployment in the capital as an example of the continuous failure of successive governments. The obsession with reaching unattainable targets has become Labour’s focus main focus, rather than trying to implement a viable policy to reduce the level of unemployment from the current statistic of 1 in 3 Londoners being economically inactive. Jury Team says it is now time to introduce a total cap on payments to ensure to ensure people have an incentive to work compared to staying on the benefit system.
- Suddaf, uk, 23/03/2010 11:47
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These figures are awful for the unemployed but also a huge increasing burden on the tax payer. It is not stated whether the figures include the huge number of immigrants and asylum seekers living within greater London.
- Ralph, London, England, 22/03/2010 12:24
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