Update on Jobs

Figures released by the Office of National Statistics this week show that Norwich North's rate of unemployment remains better than the national average.

The March 2021 figures for the unadjusted claimant count has been published which show the number of people who were claiming unemployment related benefits. This includes those who were claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance or were claiming Universal Credit and are required to seek work.

There were 3,345 actual claimants in Norwich North constituency in March 2021, which was 6.0% of the population aged 16-64. The equivalent UK claimant rate was 6.5%.

This was 65 higher than February 2021 and 1,770 higher than March 2020. Note the majority of the yearly increase happened in March-May 2020 at the start of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

There were 670 claimants aged 18-24 in March 2021, 25 higher than February 2021 and 320 higher than March 2020. This was 9.9% of the population aged 18-24. The equivalent UK claimant rate was 9.0%.

Nationally, in the year to March, 811,000 payroll jobs were lost in the UK, with under-35s accounting for 80% of these cuts.

The data also showed the unemployment rate dipped to 4.9% in the three months to February - down from 5% previously. Younger people continue to bear the brunt of the jobs crisis amid widespread cuts in sectors such as hospitality, official figures show.

In the year to March, 811,000 payroll jobs were lost in the UK, with under-35s accounting for 80% of these cuts.

The data also showed the unemployment rate dipped to 4.9% in the three months to February - down from 5% previously.

These figures underline the scale of the challenge the country is facing. I know how worried people are - about their health, the health of their loved ones, their jobs, their businesses, and their financial security. And that’s why the Government’s economic priority remains the same: protect jobs.

The Government has announced new measures, including extending furlough, more generous support for the self-employed, and an ability to top-up Bounce Back Loans to protect jobs in Norwich, supporting people to continue to provide for their families.

The Government has already launched the Kickstart scheme to help 250,000 young people into work. I was pleased to see the that the Chancellor went further in the budget earlier this month by doubling the incentive payment to small businesses to take on apprentices of any age to £3,000, alongside £126 million to triple the number of traineeships next year. They’ve also launched the Restart scheme to help hundreds of thousands of long term unemployed; doubled the number of Work Coaches; and introduced the Lifetime Skills Guarantee to fund Level 3 Qualifications for all adults.

I am passionate about transitioning to cleaner and greener energy as we work to achieve net zero by 2050. Through the £12 billion Government investment in the Ten Point Plan, I am pleased that it will create and support up to 250,000 green jobs.

The Green Jobs Taskforce has been established and forms part of the Government’s ambitious plan to build back greener and achieve net zero emissions by 2050. The Taskforce will develop an action plan to support 2 million good quality, green jobs and the skills needed by 2030. Its aim will be to focus on the immediate and longer-term challenges of delivering skilled workers for the UK’s transition to net zero including supporting workers in high carbon transitioning sectors, like oil and gas, to retrain in new green technologies.

This could really make a difference in Norwich, where people will be looking ahead now to how we can return to prosperity and opportunity including for our young people.

Locally, the Norwich for Jobs partnership have thought about how partners can work together effectively to enabling young people and businesses in Norwich to flourish beyond the Covid pandemic and will be launching a campaign in the coming months

To find out how to get involved with the Norwich for Jobs project as an employer or a young person looking for work please e-mail info@norwichforjobs.org.uk.