17 October 2007 – The jobs are there for those who want them
More vacancies mean more opportunities for people across the length and breadth of the country. New figures out today show employment is at the record level of 29.1 million, the number of people claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance is down by 12.8 thousand and the number of vacancies remain high at 668.8 thousand.
Businesses across the country are continuing to look at how they can bring people into the workplace, and now over 100 major employers have committed to the Government’s Local Employment Partnerships (LEPs) scheme. Working in partnership with Jobcentre Plus to fast track long term benefit claimants into work, employers will provide a further 250,000 opportunities for people who have previously faced difficulties finding work.
Minister for Employment and Welfare Reform Caroline Flint said:
“Today’s vacancy figures, combined with the involvement of over 100 major companies in the LEP scheme, mean those who are able to work can find a job. Those who 10 years ago would have been left behind now have the chance to clock in, working for themselves and providing for their families.
“There is no doubt that work is the best route out of poverty. But too often people forget the range of benefits which work can bring, from more money to better health and increased self-confidence.
“The challenge for us is to find new ways of helping people develop the skills and confidence they need to take advantage of these opportunities. The companies involved in LEPs have shown their commitment to British workers and we will give people the support they need to get into work. I believe this can play a huge part in tackling the legacy of worklessness that still exists in our towns and cities.
“Our strong and stable economy has helped deliver record numbers in work and with unemployment continuing to fall we have in our sights the ambition of reaching full employment within a generation.”
Background to labour market statistics: September 2007
This month’s labour force survey covers June to August 2007. The claimant unemployment and vacancy count dates were 13th September and 7th September respectively.
Employment is at record levels
- 29.1 million people were in work in June to August, the highest figure on record
- Employment rose by 22 thousand on the quarter and 82 thousand on the year
- The employment rate is 74.4%, down 0.1 percentage point on the quarter, down 0.3 percentage point on the year
The numbers on all the main out of-of-work benefits are falling
- the claimant count was 835.8 thousand in September 2007, down 12.8 thousand on the month, and down 120.9 thousand on the year. It has now fallen for 12 consecutive months
- in the year to February 2007, the number of people receiving incapacity benefits was 2.66 million, down 43 thousand on the year. The number has fallen in each of the last nine quarters, and is at its lowest level for seven-and-a-half years
- in the year to February 2007, the number of people receiving lone parent benefits was 771 thousand, down 6 thousand on the year.
ILO unemployment remains historically low
- 1.66 million people were unemployed in June to August, down by 5 thousand on the quarter and 47 thousand on the year
- The unemployment rate is 5.4%, unchanged on the quarter, down 0.2 percentage point on the year
Inactivity is up slightly on the quarter
- the economic inactivity level is 7.97 million, up 41 thousand on the quarter, and up 190 thousand on the year
- the economic inactivity rate is 21.3%, up 0.1 percentage points on the quarter, and up 0.4 percentage points on the year.
- excluding students, inactivity as a proportion of the working age population is around the lowest on record.
Vacancies remain very high and redundancies are very low
- ONS’s vacancy survey estimates 668.8 thousand unfilled vacancies in the three months to September 2007, up 21.3 thousand on the quarter, and up 71.1 thousand on the year
- More than 10,000 vacancies are placed at Jobcentres every working day and at least as many again come up through other recruitment channels
- Redundancies are at record lows. There were 120 thousand redundancies this quarter, down 2 thousand on the previous quarter, down 14 thousand on the previous year and at the lowest level since comparable records began in 1995
Earnings growth in the year to August was 3.7%, up 0.2 percentage points from July
– excluding bonuses, average earnings growth was 3.7%, up 0.1 percentage point from the July figure.
Main out-of-work benefits May 1997- Latest levels, in thousands [Footnote: 1]
| Date | JSA (claimant count) [Footnote: 2] | Incapacity benefits [Footnote: 3] | Lone Parents on Income Support (IS) [Footnote: 3] | Other (IS others and Pension Credit) [Footnote: 4] [Footnote: 5] | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May-97 | 1,619.6 | 2,616.3 | 1,014.2 | 256.2 | |
| Feb-97 | 1,752.8 | 2,600.5 | 1,020.6 | 265.5 | |
| Feb-98 | 1,380.7 | 2,639.7 | 972.7 | 239.2 | |
| Feb-99 | 1,304.5 | 2,641.7 | 940.9 | 226.0 | |
| Feb-00 | 1,152.2 | 2,676.4 | 923.5 | 217.2 | |
| Feb-01 | 999.5 | 2,750.4 | 908.2 | 183.0 | |
| Feb-02 | 951.9 | 2,745.6 | 877.1 | 176.8 | |
| Feb-03 | 942.5 | 2,776.6 | 848.9 | 156.4 | |
| Feb-04 | 892.1 | 2,777.5 | 830.3 | 155.3 | |
| Feb-05 | 824.0 | 2,757.7 | 793.1 | 153.9 | |
| Feb-06 | 926.4 | 2,705.6 | 777.1 | 153.0 | |
| Feb-07 | 920.0 | 2,662.2 | 771.4 | 163.2 | |
| Sep-07 | 835.8 | - | - | - | Total change |
|
Change May 97 to Feb 07 |
-699.6 | 45.9 | -242.8 | -93.0 | -989.5 |
|
Change Feb 97 to Feb 07 |
-832.8 | 61.7 | -249.2 | -102.3 | -1,122.6 |
|
Change May 97 to latest |
-783.8 | 45.9 | -242.8 | -93.0 | -1073.7 |
Footnotes
1. This table includes the main out-of-work client group categories, with the exception of carers who are not subject to activation policies in the same way as other groups.
2. UK figures (seasonally adjusted) published by ONS. This 100% series is the most reliable and up-to-date source for claimant unemployment.
3. GB figures (not seasonally adjusted). Published by DWP back to 1999 as part of the 100% working age client group analysis. Earlier consistent figures have been created by combining information from the previously published 5% sample data with the WPLS data. A consistent series for the UK as a whole is not readily available.
4. GB figures (not seasonally adjusted). Published by DWP back to 1999 as part of the 100% working age client group analysis. Before 1999 a 5% sample series is used, scaled to be consistent with the 100% data.
5. Excludes around 86,000 claimants in receipt of income support and carers allowance. This group is stable over time and does not affect the estimated decrease in benefit claimants.
- Between May 1997 and February 2007, the number of people on the main out-of-work benefits fell by 989,500. Taking account of more up-to-date claimant count information the fall is 1,073,700, though this will need to be confirmed once data on the other benefit groups becomes available for the more recent period.
DWP Press Office: Christian Cubitt/Caroline Calder 0203 267 5129
Out of hours: 07659 108 883
Website: www.dwp.gov.uk