So there is no shortage of jobs?

06 Feb 2012, by Anjum Klair in Labour market

So, according to DWP minister Maria Miller, there is no shortage of jobs.

Every month I report on the latest unemployment data, the number of people claiming JSA and the number of vacancies in each Local Authority. The last set of data showed that there are as many as 20 people chasing the one vacancy in some areas, in Lewisham there are almost thirty five dole claimants chasing each vacancy.

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This is using the claimant count only; the number of people unemployed is significantly higher if we used the ILO definition of unemployment, as many unemployed people are not claiming JSA. Currently there are 2.68 million people unemployed using this definition, and there are 463,000 vacancies, and around 6 people chasing every vacancy.

If we look at the same areas pre- recession, what do we see ? Significantly lower levels of unemployment and higher number of vacancies. So what has caused the change in numbers ? Not unwillingness to apply for jobs but the deepest recession we have had since the 1930’s, which has not just affected unemployment in the UK but globally. There are one million more unemployed people than there was 4 years ago. It is time for the Government to stop blaming the unemployed for their situation and to start taking responsibility for creating jobs.