Unemployment rises to 17-year high of 2.68m
The graph in this article charts increases in total unemployment and specifically youth unemployment between 2002 and 2011. It is underpinned by more recent data which reveals that unemployment rose by 118,000 between September and November 2011 to 2.68 million, a 17-year high. But this article is not merely depicting figures, but raising important issues around ‘underemployment’ (people who are working part-time because they cannot find full-time work) and ‘odd jobbing’ (self employed people taking ad hoc work until they can find a paid job). I am in no doubt that many people living in rural communities find themselves juggling multiple jobs to make up their income. According to Employment Minister Chris Grayling: “the overall level of unemployment is, and will remain, a major concern for the Government. The latest figures reflect the current challenging economic climate but also show more women entering the workforce and more students looking to supplement their income through work”. It will be interesting to see how the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) ‘Get Britain Working’ policy and reforms unfold in a rural context – where levels of volunteering are already high as people seek to improve their employment prospects and contribute to their local community and economy, and where access to formal support mechanisms (e.g. Jobcentre Plus led provision) can be difficult.