24/06/09 - PETERBOROUGH MP CONCERNED AT FIVE-FOLD RISE IN CITY’S YOUTH JOBLESS TOTAL

City MP Stewart Jackson has reacted with dismay and alarm at new figures released today by respected urban think tank Centre for Cities showing the impact of the recession on youth unemployment in Peterborough.

The organisation surveyed the number of young people in receipt of Jobs Seekers Allowance in February 2008 and May 2009 and compared the two totals.

Out of 63 cities surveyed, Peterborough ranks as the 13^th worst increase in young jobless – along with Middlesbrough, Hastings, Wigan, Wakefield and Birkenhead. Youth unemployment across the UK has risen from 13.8% to 18.3% since the recession began

In February last year 1.81% of young people in Peterborough were in receipt of JSA (about 1 in 50 youngsters) – the figure last month (May 2009) was 7.78% - a five-fold rise to 1 in 13 youngsters.

The Government’s £1 billion Future Jobs Fund announced in the 2009 Budget, aims to create 150,000 new jobs during 2009/11 for long-term unemployed young people – less than half the number who will be unemployed by December 2011.

Stewart commented:

“These statistics are very worrying and show that the jobs market is proving very difficult for young people, many of whom lack the skills needed to get into permanent work.

It’s crucial that the Government targets its efforts at the worst affected areas like Peterborough where the impact of the recession has been most marked.

There is a danger that those who are struggling to get into work will drift into long term unemployment and welfare dependency.”