London Unemployment Map: See Areas Hit Hardest by Jobless Rates

The government wants more people in Britain to work. They released data about unemployment in London, revealing that one in ten people are unemployed in some areas. Liz Kendall shared a plan to boost employment, with a goal to reach an 80% employment rate.

Almost 1.5 million people are unemployed now, while over 9 million aren’t working or looking for work. A record 2.8 million are out of work due to sickness, contributing to the current employment rate of 75%. The UK’s rate has fallen in five years, largely due to a rise in long-term illness.

Recent data showed 1.7 million people seeking jobs, claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance or Universal Credit. Included are 298,000 people aged 18 to 24.

London has over 350,000 unemployed people, with about 49,000 being teenagers and young adults. This is an increase of 60,000 from last December, and claims rose by 17%. Changes to Universal Credit may affect this increase.

Benefit claims rose by over a third in Poplar, Limehouse, Harrow West and East Ham. Brent East has London’s highest jobless rate, where 9.6% don’t have jobs, equaling about one in ten people. East Ham and Tottenham follow at 9.4%.

Richmond Park has London’s lowest jobless rate at 2.4%. Around one in 42 people are seeking work there.

The government will invest £240 million to fix the causes of unemployment, directly addressing ill health. They will hire more NHS staff focused on mental health with focus on preventing illness.

The current Jobcentre system will change, and a new service will focus on skills training. It will focus less on benefit claims management.

A government spokesperson stated their determination to get Britain working again. They plan to join local work, health, and skills efforts. The current welfare system needs reform, to ensure that it is fairer to taxpayers, and that people get support.

The Shaw Trust spoke about the issues too, emphasizing the importance of looking at unemployment and inactivity. Inactivity has risen by 900,000 since 2020, with long-term sickness accounting for 85% of this increase.

The Trust provide debt advice and other support, witnessing this impact firsthand. Cost of living increases challenge many clients due to rising rents, mortgages, and energy bills, problems with education and skills affect jobs. Mental health really matters, too.