Unemployment | LocalGov


Kendall: Local government to join up work opportunities 26/11/2024 Mayors and councils will be given powers to join up services locally to tackle worklessness, the work and pensions secretary will announce today.
Marginalised youths to benefit from £1m unemployment grant 26/09/2024 Young people with Bangladeshi and Pakistani heritage in Walsall are set to benefit from a £1m grant to help tackle youth unemployment in the region.
Nearly 460k unemployed due to unhealthy lifestyle 21/11/2023 Nearly 460,000 people in the UK are unemployed due to the health impact of tobacco, alcohol, and obesity, costing the economy £31.1bn.
Disconnected job schemes failing to tackle unemployment 17/10/2023 Nine million people who are struggling to find work are at risk of being left out of the labour market because of a ‘complex patchwork’ of job schemes.
Barnsley launches new initiative to boost employment 04/07/2023 Barnsley Council and the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority have launched a new initiative to support thousands of residents into employment.
‘Hidden’ unemployment rates reveal deepening divides 31/01/2023 Nine out of 10 of the UK’s cities and towns with the highest hidden unemployment rates are in the North, new study reveals.
Poor health 'undermining UK economy' think tank warns 08/12/2022 Mental health problems are the most common reason for people being unable to work new research has revealed.
DWP urged to devolve employment support to councils 02/12/2022 Local authority leaders have called for all employment support to be devolved to councils rather than contracted out to large providers.
Outer London left behind in post-COVID recovery 13/06/2022 Ethnically diverse local authority areas on the outskirts of London are being left behind in the post-pandemic recovery, think tank warns.
Benefit reforms could lead to 'poorer health' campaigners warn 27/01/2022 Plans to reform Universal Credit to move half a million people into jobs by the end of June could lead to poorer health, a charity has warned.
End of furlough could push 660,000 people into unemployment 02/08/2021 The jobs of hundreds of thousands of people could be at risk if the Government does not extend the furlough scheme, new research suggests.
Local areas face unemployment ‘timebomb’, study warns 30/06/2021 A new analysis has found that there are more than five unemployed people for every job posting opening in a quarter of local areas, with ex-industrial, inner city and ‘Red Wall’ areas faring worst.
Call to give councils greater role in creating jobs and training opportunities 18/06/2021 The Government should use the Skills and Post-16 Education Bill to give councils a greater role in tackling unemployment and skills shortages, the Local Government Association (LGA) has argued.
Counties see fastest growth in number of people claiming out of work benefits 28/05/2021 County councils have warned that a 'narrow and simplistic focus' in the levelling-up agenda risks England’s economic recovery from the pandemic.
Homeless charity warns calls from young people up a third in past year 21/04/2021 Vulnerable young people have struggled to access the support they need in the past year, a charity has warned in a new report.
Unemployment puts hundreds of thousands more at risk of poor mental health 19/04/2021 An extra 200,000 people are at risk of poor mental health due to unemployment, new analysis has predicted.
Harnessing the power of innovation to ensure that nobody is left behind 12/04/2021 Paul Duan explains how a new online coach is helping to make training and careers advice more targeted and accessible.
New study maps loneliness during the pandemic 08/04/2021 People living in areas with higher levels of unemployment were more likely to experience loneliness throughout the pandemic, according to new research.
Cost of youth unemployment forecast to be £7bn 30/03/2021 A new study has warned that the economic cost of youth unemployment is forecast to rise to £6.9bn in 2022.
Campaigners call for £10.6bn investment in ‘green apprenticeships’ 02/03/2021 Environmental campaigners have called for the creation of 250,000 ‘green apprenticeships’ in areas such as renewable energy as part of the effort to address the twin crises of youth unemployment and climate change.
Long-term unemployment could rise above one million, report warns 01/03/2021 Targeted, local solutions will be needed to tackle long-term unemployment after the COVID-19 crisis, the Local Government Association (LGA) has warned.
Pandemic is 'levelling down' the South, report warns 25/01/2021 The economic damage caused by the coronavirus pandemic will make it four times harder to level up the North and Midlands, a new study has revealed.
Councils calls for COBRA-style action to tackle youth unemployment 06/10/2020 Council leaders have called for a COBRA-style response to tackle youth unemployment and save a ‘lost generation’ of young people.
Launch of £2bn youth employment scheme 02/09/2020 The Government has launched its £2bn scheme to create thousands of jobs for unemployed young people.
Research reveals which cities hit hardest by unemployment levels 11/08/2020 Aberdeen, Glasgow, Norwich and Slough had the largest increase in the number of unemployment claimants in the past month, new analysis has revealed.
Over half of workforce in county areas 'at risk' due to pandemic 04/08/2020 Over half the workforce in England's county areas work in sectors ‘at risk’ due to the coronavirus crisis, research has warned today.
Tourist towns hit hardest by unemployment 29/07/2020 Tourist hotspots have seen greater levels of unemployment due to the coronavirus crisis, new figures have shown.
Maximising innovation will help people in a challenging world of work 24/07/2020 Ksenia Zheltoukhova explains how harnessing technology and innovation can make job information and skills training as tailored and engaging as possible.
Youth unemployment to double this year, warns think tank 03/07/2020 The number of unemployed young people could double this year without government intervention, a think tank has warned today.
Government urged to create £1bn Jobs Guarantee for young people 19/05/2020 The Government has been urged to tackle the record rise in unemployment by creating a £1bn Youth Guarantee.
Figures show 400% monthly increase in benefit claims 21/04/2020 New claims for Universal Credit have increased by at least 400% in the past two months, new figures have revealed.
Nearly 500,000 new Universal Credit claims made in nine days 26/03/2020 A think tank has warned that the UK is in the midst of an unemployment crisis as 477,000 new Universal Credit (UC) claims are made in nine days.
Office for Veterans’ Affairs given £5m funding boost 03/09/2019 The Government has announced a £5m fund boost to help support military veterans.
Give councils powers to help young people into work, council chiefs say 23/08/2019 Council chiefs have called for more powers to help young people into work as figures reveal a dramatic increase in the number of young people not in education, employment or training.
DWP failing to tackle unemployment among disabled people, auditors find 28/03/2019 The Department for Work and Pensions has limited evidence of what is effective when it comes to supporting disabled people to work, auditors have warned.
Place jobcentres next to council services, London boroughs urge 24/01/2019 Jobcentre support should be placed alongside council services to help tackle long-term unemployment and in-work poverty, London Councils have said today.
UK cities have 'more than recovered', says latest index 01/11/2018 Improving skills levels and new business formation have been the key long-term drivers of city growth since the financial crisis, according to analysts.
Call for more support for young people living independently 23/05/2018 The Government must do more to support young people who are living independently, MPs say.
Government confirms more job centre closures 04/04/2018 More job centres will be co-located within local government premises as part of moves to cut costs, the Government confirmed today.
Troubled Families Programme achieves 'significant' progress 28/03/2018 Government welcomes the progress made by Troubled Families Programme as a new report shows local authorities have worked with nearly 300,000 eligible families.
PM announces £90m to address ethnic inequalities in youth unemployment 19/03/2018 The prime minister today announced a £90m programme to address ethnic disparities in youth unemployment in the wake of the Government’s study of inequality within public services.
£135m employment support programme launched 01/03/2018 London boroughs today launched a new multi-million pound employment programme which will provide tailored support to help people find work.
'Rise of the robots' could put one in five jobs at risk by 2030 29/01/2018 Automation and globalisation may help boost jobs across the country but they will also compound the North/South divide, a report has warned today.
Skills shortages reaching 'critical' levels warns report 10/01/2018 Council leaders have called for the radical reform of careers and skills services, after new research shows 12 million people will be unemployed or in jobs they are over-qualified for by 2024.
300,000 ‘forgotten unemployed’ missing out on benefits, think tank reveals 02/01/2018 An estimated 300,000 people are ‘falling through the cracks’ of the welfare system and missing out on the financial support they are entitled to, new research reveals.
'Radical rethink' needed to tackle unemployment in over-50s 14/11/2017 A 'radical rethink' is needed to tackle chronic unemployment among the over-50s, according to campaigners for older people.
Mental health problems force 300,000 people out of work each year 26/10/2017 Hundreds of thousands of people suffering from long-term mental health problems lose their jobs each year costing the economy billions of pounds, report reveals.
‘Local industrial strategies’ needed to boost employment in cities, think tank says 16/08/2017 A think tank has called on the Government to devise ‘local industrial strategies’ in order to tackle unemployment and underemployment in the UK’s major cities.
Six mayors to pilot innovative new employment schemes 01/08/2017 Thousands of disadvantaged people are to be helped back into work under new pilot schemes being delivered by six combined authorities.
Hardship payments extended to protect more jobseekers 19/07/2017 Homeless people or those with a mental health condition are to be offered financial support from the Government if their benefits are sanctioned.
British workers hit ‘hardest’ by immigration cuts, research reveals 30/05/2017 The Government’s net migration target of below 100,000 a year could lead to over 3 million people facing unemployment, new research reveals.
First annual report into Troubled Families scheme is published 05/04/2017 Unemployment and parental conflict are key causes of problems for disadvantaged families, work and pensions secretary Damien Green has said.
How can you help your local workforce succeed? 03/03/2017 Associate director for work and families at the IPPR think-tank, Clare McNeil, answers the key question.
Nine in ten children now live in working households 01/03/2017 The number of children living in workless households has fallen to an all-time low, with nine in children living with at least one working adult.
Benefit sanctions applied ‘inconsistently’, MPs warn 21/02/2017 Benefit sanctions have increased in ‘severity’ and are applied ‘inconsistently’, MPs say – and the Government doesn’t know why.
South London councils agree to jointly deliver new work and health programme 20/02/2017 Five councils in London have agreed to work together to commission a new work and health programme.
London and Manchester to get £100m to help the disabled into employment 30/01/2017 The Government today announced it is devolving new powers to London and Greater Manchester to help thousands more disabled people get into work.
Councils demand 'radical rethink' of job centres 20/01/2017 Jobcentres are failing to identify and support half of all unemployed people proving funding should be devolved to local councils, the Local Government Association (LGA) has said today.
Report calls for 'policy reset' in Greater Manchester 02/12/2016 The economic performance of the Greater Manchester region has failed to match the growth of the city since the 1980s, according to a new report.
Late intervention costing councils £6.4bn a year finds research 17/11/2016 It costs local councils £6.4bn a year to deal with damaging social problems affecting children and their families, new research has revealed.
Councils call for more powers to reduce long-term unemployment 20/10/2016 Local government should have more power to tackle persistent unemployment, according to a new study published today.
Troubled Families programme had no 'significant impact' 18/10/2016 There is little evidence that the government’s flagship Troubled Families programme had any ‘significant or systematic impact’, new analysis has revealed.
£60m of Whitehall funding to improve social mobility 05/10/2016 Six new opportunity areas will receive £60m in funding in a bid to boost social mobility.
Councils call for devolution of national work programme 31/08/2016 The funding and responsibility for the new Work and Health Programme (WHP) should be devolved to groups of councils in order to avoid repeating the mistakes of the past, town hall chiefs have said.
Research warns of 'double disconnect' in deprived areas 15/08/2016 New research has revealed that 524 areas in the UK are not well connected to jobs or housing.
Troubled Families scheme had no 'discernible impact' claims 'suppressed' report 09/08/2016 A leaked report has claimed the government’s flagship Troubled Families programme has had ‘no discernible impact’ on employment rates, offending or benefit take-up.
Council suspends employment scheme for behaving like 'a Victorian workhouse' 07/04/2016 A Scottish council has suspended a controversial employment scheme after revelations it was fining jobseekers for tutting and chewing gum.
Workless households at a 10-year low 31/03/2016 Latest official figures show the number of workless households has fallen by 20% since 2010.
£50m project to tackle youth unemployment in West Midlands 18/02/2016 A £50m project aimed at getting young people in Birmingham and Solihull into work has been approved by the city council’s cabinet.
Research shows impact of health determinants 10/11/2015 Collaboration between local authority stakeholders can help address health quality determinants and result in improved health outcomes, according to a new report.
Report reveals best and worst places for 'family friendliness' 20/10/2015 A new study has found Sandwell, Barking & Dagenham and Newham to be the least family friendly local authority areas in the country – but said most of the blame lies with central Government.
Unemployed youngsters face work 'boot camp' to keep benefits 17/08/2015 Unemployed young people will have to attend a work ‘boot camp’ or face losing their benefits, under new measures announced today by the Government.
Report: Disabled and over 50s 'let down' by Work Programme 10/08/2015 The Work Programme is failing many vulnerable groups and its weaknesses underline the need for localised and tailored support, according to a new report.
Government hails success of Access to Work scheme 24/07/2015 More people than ever with a learning disability or mental health condition are being helped by Access to Work.
Manchester offers £640k to community projects 22/06/2015 Community groups and individuals in Manchester have been invited to bid for £640,000 to support local projects.
Can the Conservatives make Britain fair again? 03/06/2015 Mike Brogan explores what impact the new Conservative Government will have on the employment and housing sector
Committed to apprenticeships 21/05/2015 Young people across Nottingham are provided with a step on the career ladder thanks to Nottingham City Council’s ongoing commitment to apprenticeships.
Jobseeker benefit sanctions fall while blocks on ESA climb two-thirds 14/05/2015 Jobseeker benefit sanctions have fallen by 300,000 over the past year yet blocks on Employment Support Allowance (ESA) have risen by almost two-thirds, figures reveal.
Larger welfare payments raise commitment to work, study finds 31/03/2015 Generous welfare payouts make claimants more enthusiastic to work and do not create dependency, a pan-European study indicates.
Study shows low-income families struggling with welfare reforms 26/03/2015 The Government’s welfare reforms have caused social housing tenants to run up debts or reduce spending on food, according to a new study.
Budget 2015: Welfare cap fits £21bn savings for Osborne 18/03/2015 The Government’s welfare cap is on track to deliver £21bn savings through changes to benefit payments and reforms to eligibility, the chancellor confirmed today.
Cutting housing benefit for young jobseekers a false economy, says report 17/03/2015 Cutting housing benefit for young people claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance would fail to deliver significant savings due to an increase in youth homelessness, a new report is warning.
Biggest city winners support high-skilled jobs, finds 100-year study 05/03/2015 Cities have been urged to foster knowledge over low-skilled jobs after research suggested a ‘culture of innovation’ was crucial for determining future economic success.
Impact and foresight 27/02/2015 Will Nixon says new reports paint a bleak picture for post-16 education
Cooperative councils call for devolution of back-to-work programme 26/02/2015 Devolving the Government’s back-to-work programme to a local level would help save £500m and create 90,000 extra jobs, a group of 22 ‘co-operative’ councils are claiming.
Tees Valley combined authority moves one step closer 13/02/2015 Plans to create a combined authority for the Tees Valley have been endorsed by local communities and businesses.
Social problems costing £17bn a year, research warns 12/02/2015 Tackling damaging social problems affecting children and young people costs the country nearly £17bn a year, new research shows.
Seaside towns secure record £36m investment 26/01/2015 Seaside towns are to benefit from £36m investment in the biggest round of cash awarded from the government’s Coastal Communities Fund so far.
Plans for new Scottish powers met with English devolution demands 22/01/2015 Plans to hand the Scottish Parliament 'unprecedented' powers have this morning been matched with a series of devolution demands from England's local authorities.
100,000 young people off councils' radars, MPs warn 22/01/2015 More than 100,000 young people have fallen off the radar, with councils unsure if they are in education, employment or training (neets), MPs are warning.
Employment powers devolved to boroughs under £11m work scheme 21/01/2015 Almost 4,000 Londoners will be helped into work under an £11m scheme that will see boroughs claiming greater powers over their employment services.
Government doubles troubled families specialists 19/01/2015 The number of specialists helping council’s troubled families teams are set to double this year, under £10m extra investment.
Most benefit disputes resolved in two weeks, say figures 12/01/2015 The time taken to resolve benefit disputes has fallen from six months to under a fortnight on average, new figures reveal.
Councils slam ‘failing’ government employment schemes 12/01/2015 Over a million jobseekers are ‘falling through the cracks’ of government support, leaving councils to aid those ‘forgotten’ by national schemes – town halls claim.
Out of sight? 08/01/2015 How thousands of NEETs can be saved with political agenda shift
50,000 NEETs 'missing' from official figures 17/12/2014 More than 50,000 young people with are not in education, employment or training (NEETs) have disappeared from official statistics, according to a report published by the Fabian Society.
Benefit cap getting people into work, research shows 15/12/2014 The benefit cap is encouraging more people to find jobs, new research from the Government reveals.
Councils should keep savings from tackling poverty says report 12/12/2014 A new report is calling for local authorities to be allowed to keep any savings made from tackling poverty and unemployment in their area.
One million more public sector jobs set to be lost 04/12/2014 A further one million public sector jobs are expected to be lost over the next five years, as a squeeze on public spending continues.
Autumn Statement: Unemployment rate to fall to 5.4% in 2015 03/12/2014 The UK’s unemployment rate will fall to 5.4% next year, according to figures published by the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR).