18th August, 2016
On 17 August 2016, the ONS published labour market statistics for three months to June 2016.
• These record-breaking figures show that in the three months to June there were more people in work than ever before, which is great news as we build a Britain that works for everybody not just the privileged few.
• We are in a position of strength, but we can’t be complacent which is why we’re pressing ahead with our welfare reforms like Universal Credit to ensure it always pays for people to be in work.
• The job now is to build on this success story so that everybody can benefit from the opportunities that are being created regardless of who they are or where they come from.
Key statistics:
• Employment: 31.75 million (up 606,000 over the past year and up over 2.7 million since 2010).
• Employment rate: 74.5 per cent (up 1.0 points over the past year and up 4.3 points since 2010).
• Unemployment: 1.64 million (down 207,000 over the past year and down 869,000 since 2010).
• Unemployment rate: 4.9 per cent (down 0.7 points over the past year and down 3.0 points since 2010).
• Claimant count (Jobseeker’s Allowance and Universal Credit not in work): 763,600 in July (down 27,100 on last year and down 731,200 since 2010).
• Wages: Pay before bonuses pay rose 2.3 per cent over the last year with private sector pay up 2.4 per cent. Inflation over the same period remained low.
• Female employment remains at a record high of 69.6 per cent, up over 1.2 million since 2010.
• Vacancies: 741,000 (up 2,000 on the year and 274,000 since 2010).
With wages growing ahead of prices, the tax-free personal allowance at £11,000 and the National Living Wage lifting pay for over one million of the lowest-paid, we’re delivering on our commitment to help hardworking people keep more of what they earn as we build a Britain that works for everybody not just the privileged few.
Three quarters of the rise in employment since 2010 has been in full-time jobs – up 2 million. Only 2.5 per cent of people in work are on zero-hours contracts.
Employment: creating more jobs to give people security
• Employment is up by over 2.7 million since Labour were in power – meaning well over 1,000 jobs have been created on average every day. That’s over 2.7 million more people with the security of bringing home a regular pay packet. In the three months to April 2010, there were 29.048 million people in employment. In the three months to June 2016 there were 31.75 million people in work (ONS, Labour Market Statistics, 17 August 2016).
• The private sector has created almost 3 million jobs since 2010. There have been six jobs created in the private sector for every one job lost in the public sector. While there have been 443,000 jobs lost from the public sector since 2010, the private sector has created almost 3 million more jobs. This excludes the effect of major reclassifications and compares Q1 2010 to Q1 2016 (ONS, MFZ2, 15 June 2016, link; MFY7, 15 June 2016).
• Unemployment is down 869,000 on 2010. In the three months to April 2010, there were 2.51 million people unemployed. In the three months to June 2016 there were 1.64 million people unemployed (ONS, Labour Market Statistics, 17 August 2016).
• Employment rate for women at a record high. The number of women in work is up over 1.2 million since 2010. The female employment rate remains at a record high 69.6 per cent, 4.1 per cent higher than 2010 (ONS, Labour Market Statistics, 17 August 2016).
• Claimant count 731,200 lower than in 2010. In May 2010 there were almost 1.5 million people claiming JSA. In July 2016 the number of people claiming JSA or Universal Credit (not in work) was 763,600 (ONS, Labour Market Statistics, 17 August 2016).
• Youth unemployment is down 105,000 over the past year – but there is more to do. Over the last year youth unemployment has seen a fall to 626,000. It was 939,000 in February to April 2010, so is down 312,000 since Labour were in power (ONS, Labour Market Statistics, 17 August 2016).
• Long-term unemployment remains too high, but it is 341,000 lower than in 2010. In the three months to April 2010 the number of people who had been unemployed for over 12 months was 788,000, that figure is now 446,000. This is down 130,000 on the year (ONS, Labour Market Statistics, 17 August 2016).
• Long-term youth unemployment remains too high, but has more than halved since Labour were last in power. In the three months to June 2016 the number of 16-24 year olds who had been out of work for more than 12 months was 102,000, a fall of 59,000 on the year and 115,000 since 2010 (ONS, Labour Market Statistics, 17 August 2016).
• Nearly three quarters of a million job vacancies. There were 741,000 job vacancies in the three months to July 2016 – up 2,000 on the year (ONS, Labour Market Statistics, 17 August 2016).
• The employment rate is higher than the United States, France, and Italy. The employment rate is at 74.5 per cent (ONS, Labour Market Statistics, 17 August 2016).
• Three-quarters of the rise in employment since Labour were in power has been in full-time jobs. The number of people working full-time has risen by 2 million since Labour were in power (ONS, Labour Market Statistics, 17 August 2016).
• Nearly two-thirds of new jobs have been permanent positions. The number of people with permanent positions has risen by over 1.7 million since 2010 to 25.1 million (ONS, Labour Market Statistics, 17 August 2016).
Employment: Labour’s failures
Labour left unemployment higher than when they came in
• Nearly half a million more people unemployed under Labour – in Labour’s last term in office unemployment increased by one million. In February to April 1997, there were 2.047 million people unemployed. In February to April 2010 there were 2.510 million people unemployed, an increase of 463,000 or 23 per cent (ONS, MGSC, 15 October 2014).
• The number of women unemployed rose by 25 per cent under Labour. In February to April 1997, there were 784,000 women unemployed. In February to April 2010 there were 986,000 women unemployed, an increase of 202,000 or 25 per cent (ibid.).
• Claimant count rose by 82 per cent in Labour’s last term. In April 2005, there were 840,300 people claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance. By April 2010, this had risen to 1,526,100 (ONS, Labour Market Statistics, Table CLA01, 17 July 2013).
• Youth unemployment rose by 45 per cent under Labour – meaning young people were not getting the skills they need to get on in life. In February to April 1997 there were 652,000 unemployed 16 to 24 year olds. By February to April 2010, this had risen by 287,000 to 939,000 (ONS, Labour Market Statistics, 18 March 2015).
• The number of households in which no member ever worked almost doubled under Labour. In April to June 1997 there were 136,000 households (excluding student households) where all members have never worked. In April to June 2010 there were 269,000, an increase of 133,000 (ONS, Working and workless households 2011, Table E, 1 September 2011).
• Labour ignored jobs in the Midlands and the North. For every ten private sector jobs created in the London and the South between 1998 and 2008, only one was created in the Midlands and the North (Centre for Cities, Private sector cities: A new geography of opportunity, 2010, p. 6).
And they would do it all again
• Labour are promising damaging tax rises on business – putting jobs at risk. Labour are calling for big increases in taxes on business – including a large increase in Corporation Tax. This would hit investment, and jobs, making working people less secure (Labourlist, 27 July 2015, link; Jeremy Corbyn Press Release, 16 July 2015).
• Labour would keep on borrowing forever – threatening the economic recovery which has given work to so many. Labour voted against the Charter for Budget Responsibility making clear that they would carry on borrowing forever – threatening Britain’s economic recovery and the jobs of millions of people (Hansard, 14 October 2014, Col. 451).
• Labour have opposed our welfare reforms, which are helping people into work. Labour have repeatedly attacked our welfare reforms, which are building a welfare system that provides a safety net for those in need, while rewarding the willingness to work (Hansard, 20 July 2015, Col. 1264, link; Owen Smith, Speech to Labour Conference, 28 September 2015).
July 31, 2016
Modern Slavery
The Prime Minister has set out how this Conservative Government will lead the way in defeating modern slavery.
On her first evening as Prime Minister, Theresa May spoke of the burning injustices running through our society which this government will tackle. No more so than modern slavery – where there are between 10,000 and 13,000 victims in the UK alone. Vulnerable people who have travelled long distances believing they were heading for legitimate jobs are finding they have been duped, forced into hard labour, and then locked up and abused.
As part of our vision to make a country that works for everyone, we are setting up the first ever government task force on modern slavery. We will make sure that all police forces treat this crime with the priority it deserves and work collaboratively with law-enforcement agencies across the world to track and stop these pernicious gangs who operate across borders and jurisdictions. We will be using over £33 million from our aid budget to create a five-year International Modern Slavery Fund focused on high-risk countries, where we know victims are regularly trafficked to the UK.
Just as it was Britain that took an historic stand to ban slavery two centuries ago, so Britain will once again lead the way in defeating modern slavery and preserving the freedoms and values that have defined our country for generations.
April 12 2016
The Business Secretary updated the House of Commons on support that the Government is giving to the steel industry.
Britain’s steel industry is a vital part of our economy. We are doing everything we can to find a long-term, viable solution to save the Port Talbot steelworks and end uncertainty for workers and families.
We have taken clear action. Had we not intervened the plant would have closed overnight. Instead we had time to look for new owners for the plants in Yorkshire and Teesside safeguarding over 4000 jobs. We have been in contact with potential buyers, making clear that the government stands ready to help. This includes looking at the possibility of co-investing with a buyer on commercial terms.
We are working tirelessly to look at all viable long-term options to keep a strong British steel industry at the heart of our manufacturing base.
20 January 2016
Figures show employment rate at record high while unemployment plummets to pre-recession levels – giving families across the country greater financial security.
This is a record-breaking set of figures which mark an important milestone on the road to full employment. The unemployment rate is now below pre-recession levels – the lowest rate for nearly a decade.
Employment is at its highest rate in our history, there are more women in work than ever before and 136,000 fewer young people unemployed than a year ago – meaning more people with the security of a job and pay packet. What’s more, full-time employees make up the majority of the increase in employment over the past year, wages are growing even before our new National Living Wage takes effect in April and there are a record three quarters of a million vacancies.
As a One Nation Government we will build on this throughout the coming year, ensuring that everyone has increased financial security and the opportunity to get on and succeed in life. But there is a dangerous cocktail of new risks this year in the global economy, so it’s more important than ever we must stick to our plan to fix the public finances and move Britain back into the black.
Key statistics
· Employment: 31.4 million (up 588,000 over the past year and up by over 2.3 million since 2010).
· Employment rate: 74.0 per cent (up 1.1 points over the past year and up 3.8 points since 2010).
· Unemployment: 1.68 million (down 239,000 over the past year and down 835,000 since 2010).
· Unemployment rate: 5.1 per cent (down 0.8 points over the past year and down 2.9 points since 2010).
· Claimant count (Jobseeker’s Allowance and Universal Credit not in work): 785,900 in December (down 95,400 on last year and down 708,900 since 2010).
· Wages: average total pay rose by 2.0 per cent over the last year. Inflation over the same period was close to flat.
Other useful statistics:
· The employment rate is at the highest in our history – at 74.0 per cent of people aged 16-64.
· Unemployment has fallen to its lowest in nearly a decade – at 5.1 per cent.
· Private sector employment is up by 2.7 million since 2010.
· There are more women in work than ever before with 1 million more women in work since 2010, and the number of unemployed women down by 89,000 over the year.
· The proportion of under-25s who are unemployed and not full-time students is the lowest on record – at 5.8 per cent.
· Among older people (50-64), employment is up 112,000 on the quarter and 261,000 on the year to 8.37 million.
· The number of long-term unemployed people has fallen by 25 per cent in the last year to 488,000.
· Vacancies were at 756,000 in the three months to December, up 46,000 on the year and 294,000 since 2010.
Labour always try and tell Britain that all these jobs are part-time, insecure and poorly paid – in fact:
· Almost three-quarters of the growth in employment since 2010 has been full-time.
· Only 2.4 per cent of people in work are on zero-hours contracts. Unlike the last Labour Government, who did nothing, we have taken action to clamp down on abuses by banning exclusivity contracts.
· Real wages are continuing to rise strongly.
It was Labour that left people with fewer jobs and fewer opportunities:
· The number of unemployed people increased by one million in Labour’s last term in office.
· The number of people on unemployment benefit rose by 82 per cent in Labour’s last term.
· Youth unemployment rose by 45 per cent under Labour – meaning young people were not getting the skills they need to get on in life.
· The number of households where no member had ever worked nearly doubled under Labour.
16 September 2015
Today's employment statistics show that unemplayment has fallen by 27% in South Dorset..
Nationally
· Employment: 31.09 million (up 413,000 over the past year and up more than 2 million since 2010).
· Employment rate: 73.5 per cent (up 0.7 points over the past year and up 3.3 points since 2010).
· Unemployment: 1.82 million (down 198,000 over the past year and down 686,000 since 2010).
· Unemployment rate: 5.5 per cent (down 0.6 points over the past year and down 2.4 points since 2010).
· Claimant count (Jobseeker’s Allowance and Universal Credit not in work): 791,700 in August (down 183,100 on last year and down 703,100 since 2010).
· Wages: average pay growth is 2.9 per cent. Inflation over the same period was close to flat.
Other important statistics:
· Nearly half a million more people are in jobs in the private sector over the last year alone.
· Long-term unemployment has fallen by more than 240,000 since 2010, to its lowest level in six years.
· Female employment is at a record level of 14.55 million, and a record rate of 68.8 per cent.
· There are 740,000 vacancies – an increase of nearly 60,000 since last year.
· The claimant count has fallen by over 180,000 over the last year.
· Youth unemployment has fallen by 32,000 in the past year and has fallen by 215,000 since 2010.
· The UK’s employment rate has seen the largest rise of any G7 economy over the last year.
Labour always try to tell Britain that all these jobs are part-time, insecure and poorly paid – in fact:
· Three-quarters of the growth in employment since 2010 have been full-time.
· Only 2.4 per cent of people in work are on zero-hours contracts. Unlike the last Labour Government, who did nothing, we have taken action to clamp down on abuses by banning exclusivity contracts.
· Real wages continue to grow.
· The most comprehensive measure of living standards, which takes account of our tax cuts, shows living standards are higher now than in 2010 – with the average household forecast to be £900 better off in 2015 than in 2010.
It was Labour that left people with fewer jobs and fewer opportunities:
· The number of unemployed people increased by one million in Labour’s last term in office.
· The number of people on unemployment benefit rose by 82 per cent in Labour’s last term.
· Youth unemployment rose by 45 per cent under Labour – meaning young people were not getting the skills they need to get on in life.
· The number of households where no member had ever worked nearly doubled under Labour.
27 August, 2015
New figures revealed young people are making 2,000 starts a week to government work experience schemes.
We want every part of Britain to benefit from a growing economy and everyone who works hard to get the opportunities they need to succeed.
That is why we have greatly expanded our work experience scheme to give our talented young people the confidence they need to get that first crucial step on their career ladder. These figures show thousands of young people are moving into work experience or training every week, meaning more young people have the opportunity to develop the skills they need to get a job.
Helping young people into jobs is part of our One Nation approach to ensure that all of Britain is benefiting from the growing economy, giving people across the country the prospect of a better future.
21 August, 2015
Apprenticeships
Today, the Prime Minister outlined plans to increase the number of quality apprenticeships and give businesses a say on how they are run and what they offer.
• Making sure young people have the skills they need is a key part of our long-term economic plan for Britain. We are putting apprenticeships at the forefront of that plan. We have already created over 2 million high quality apprenticeships and have committed to delivering a further 3 million.
• That’s why from next month all bids for government procurement contracts will be expected to demonstrate that they are taking on apprentices and business will today be asked their views on the new apprenticeship levy which is designed to increase investment in training and apprenticeships. As well, the Transport Secretary has announced that we will create 30,000 apprenticeship places across the road and rail industries during this Parliament.
• Giving young people proper training and the prospect of a better future is part of our One Nation approach to ensure that all of Britain is benefiting from the growing economy. Millions of young people are getting a good start in life, learning a trade, and knowing the purpose and pride that comes with that.
We are doing this by:
• Delivering 3 million more apprenticeships by 2020. The most successful and productive economies in the world are committed to developing vocational skills. That is why we are committed to significantly increasing the quantity and quality of apprenticeships in England to 3 million starts this Parliament.
• Putting businesses in the driving seat. We are seeking the views of businesses on the introduction of the new apprenticeship levy – set to begin in 2017. The levy will ensure that businesses are in control, providing funding that each employer can use to meet their individual needs.
• Creating 30,000 new apprenticeships in transport. More than 30,000 apprenticeships will be created across the road and rail industry during this Parliament, with Terry Morgan CBE appointed to develop a transport and infrastructure skills strategy. This will help the transport industry ensure a continuous pipeline of skilled workers.
Skills: making sure Britain can compete in the global race
Getting more people in apprenticeships
• Creating 3 million apprenticeships this Parliament. We have created 2.3 million apprenticeships since 2010 and have committed to creating 3 million more by 2020. We’re giving young people the skills they need to succeed in the global race – and get on in life
• Making apprenticeships part of government contracts. We will require a company’s apprenticeship offer to be taken into account when awarding large government contracts and publish new ‘industry standards’ so apprentices have the skills companies need
• Creating 30,000 new apprenticeships in transport. More than 30,000 apprenticeships will be created across the road and rail industry during this Parliament with Terry Morgan CBE appointed to develop a transport and infrastructure skills strategy to help the transport industry ensure a continuous pipeline of skilled workers
Making it easier for employers to take apprentices on
• Cash bonuses for small companies taking on young apprentices. We are offering employers with 50 employees or fewer up to £1,500 for taking on an apprentice aged between 16 and 24
• Incentivising companies to take on a young apprentice. We’re abolishing employed National Insurance Contributions on earnings up to the upper earnings limit for apprentices aged under 25
• Quicker and easier for employers to take on an apprentice. The National Apprenticeships Service and training providers will be required to ensure that every employer is able to advertise a vacancy within one month of deciding to take on an apprentice
• Giving employers greater control over apprenticeships. We are getting employers involved in setting apprenticeships to make sure they give people the skills they need to get a job. We have introduced a ‘Trailblazers’ programme, where groups of employers work together to design standards and assessment approaches to make our apprenticeships world class. Over 1,000 employers are now part of the scheme in industries including engineering, legal services and health and social care, with more than 70 published standards
Raising standards
• Investing in degree-level apprenticeships. We have set up a £25 million Higher Apprenticeships Fund to support up to 10,000 degree-level apprenticeships in areas like aerospace and renewable energy technologies – with an extra £40 million of investment to deliver 20,000 more in 2013/14 and 2014/15
• Equipping apprentices with basic skills. Apprenticeship providers are now required to offer all apprentices teaching in English and Maths up to the standard of a good GCSE
• Establishing rigorous standards for vocational qualifications. Our proposals will establish rigorous standards for level 3 vocational qualifications taken by 16- to 19-year-olds in schools and colleges from September 2014, so that only high value qualifications count in performance tables
Skills: Labour’s failures
Labour didn’t get enough people doing apprenticeships
• We have created almost double the number of apprenticeships than Labour did in their last term. Between 2005/06 and 2009/10, there were 1,103,800 apprenticeship starts. In the last Parliament, we created 2.3 million
• We doubled Gordon Brown’s 2013 target. Gordon Brown said in 2008: ‘Our first step is to get 90,000 more young people taking part in apprenticeships by 2013...Together with opportunities for those in their twenties and older, this will mean 220,000 people starting an apprenticeship each year overall’. In 2012/13, 510,200 people started an apprenticeship
• We beat Labour’s 2020 goal 9 years early. Labour’s Skills Strategy of 2009 said: ‘on our current plans we anticipate around 360,000 starts by 2020’. In 2010/11, the Coalition delivered 457,200 starts
They let standards decline
• At least 350,000 young people were let down by courses which had ‘little or no labour market value’. The independent Wolf Review found that some courses ‘fail to promote progression into either stable, paid employment or higher level education and training in a consistent or an effective way’
• Labour oversaw an explosion in young people studying vocational qualifications. The number of young people studying vocational courses rose 196 per cent between 1995 and 2010. The number of those studying A levels in the same period rose 21 per cent
• Labour’s vocational qualifications lost meaning. Under Labour, the government funded vocational qualifications in subjects like self-tanning, balloon artistry and instructing pole fitness – we have ended this
And they left many young people not getting the skills they needed
• Youth unemployment rose by 45 per cent under Labour – meaning young people were not getting the skills they need to get on in life. In February to April 1997 there were 652,000 unemployed 16 to 24 year olds. By February to April 2010, this had risen by 287,000 to 939,000
• 1 in 5 young people were unemployed when Labour left office compared to 1 in 7 when they arrived. When Labour came to power, 14 per cent of 16-24 year-olds were unemployed. This rose to 20 per cent by the time they left
• The number of young people not in education, employment or training rose by a third under Labour. There were 655,000 NEETs – 16-24 year-olds not in education, employment or training – in England in the second quarter of 2000. This had risen to 874,000 in the second quarter of 2010 – an increase of 33 per cent
• The number of young people not in education, employment or training soared in the UK as they fell internationally. Between 2000 and 2009, the NEET rate for 15-19 year-olds in the UK rose from 8.0 per cent to 9.6 per cent, while the OECD average fell from 9.4 per cent to 8.4 per cent. By 2009, the UK had worse NEET rates than Greece, the Slovak Republic and Poland
Latest South Dorset numbers
From April 2010 to February 2015, claimants were down by 41.08%
From February 2014 to February 2015, claimants were down by 29.31%
Actual numbers of JSA claimants in South Dorset are as follows:
April 2005 – 692
April 2010 – 1502
February 2014 -1252
February 2015 - 885
