Research: UK has a ‘jobs gap’ of over 150k


by Guest    
8:20 am - August 16th 2011

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contribution by Anjum Klair

New TUC analysis published ahead of the latest unemployment statistics shows that the UK has a ‘jobs gap’ – the number of people employed today minus employment levels on the eve of the recession in December 2007 – of 158,000.

Employment levels across the UK in April 2011 (the latest available figures) are down 0.5 per cent on December 2007 although there is considerable variation across the country. Employment is up 122,000 (+3.3 per cent) in London but down 70,000 (-2.8 per cent) in the West Midlands.

The number of people in work is higher than pre-recession levels in London, the East of England and the East Midlands, while the North East, West Midlands and the South West have the widest jobs gaps.

The analysis shows that there were 41,000 more women working in April 2011 than December 2007, and there are 199,000 fewer men in employment.

But in some regions women are still facing a jobs gap – the gap for women is worst in the North East where employment is down 5.1 per cent (28,000 jobs) on pre-recession levels – while female employment in London is up 4.3 per cent (70,000 jobs).

The largest jobs gap for men is in Yorkshire and Humber at 4.3 per cent (57,000 jobs) while London has again improved the most with 52,000 more jobs across the capital.

While the national jobs gap has closed by 50,000 since the start of the year, the number of women in work has not increased at all. Female employment has risen in just three regions in England in 2011 – East Midlands, East of England and London. This suggests that improvements in the female ‘jobs gap’ may not be sustained in the year ahead.

The UK ‘jobs gap’ would be almost twice as large were it not for the employment growth in London.

The surge in employment across the capital is not evenly spread however, with the number of dole claimants outnumbering job vacancies by over 20 to 1 in Haringey, Lewisham, Waltham Forest and Hackney.

And as the size of the working age population has increased since the start of the recession the jobs gap only tells part of the story – in all areas of the UK employment rates remain below their pre-recession levels.

More details on this TUC post

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Reader comments


1. pjt

But of course, Britain – or anyone else – is not short of work. There’s plenty of things that should be done. Britain – and everyone else – is short of people and organizations who are capable and motivated to pay for work done for them.

Employers are often seen as an enemy, so it’s no wonder there’s a shortage of them.

2. Bob B

George Osborne keeps on about “rebalancing” Britain’s economy to reduce dependence on financial services – but without saying just how he intends doing that.

The trouble is that the buoyancy of London’s job market greatly depends on the resurgence of financial services. At the beginning of the financial crisis, much appeared in print about how London was going to be disproportionately hit.

Evidently, not so and the latest news about manufacturing, isn’t encouraging:

BDO’s optimism index in July was at its lowest level since January, with its data suggesting that the manufacturing sector had contracted for the second month in a row.

BDO partner Peter Hemington says businesses have been “spooked” by global uncertainties

BDO partner Peter Hemington said the UK’s economic recovery continued to falter.

“The rapid decline of the manufacturing sector, championed as the key to a rebalancing of the UK economy, is alarming,” he said.
He told the BBC that manufacturers were not benefiting from the fall in the value of the pound.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-14523310

Rebalancing isn’t going according to plan.

3. Tim Worstall

“in all areas of the UK employment rates remain below their pre-recession levels.”

Err…..yes, for employment is a lagging indicator. Happened in every recession anyone’s ever known: rises in employment are the last thing to happen.

4. DisgustedOfTunbridgeWells

Err…..yes, for employment is a lagging indicator.

Nope, average duration of unemployment is a lagging indicator, employment, if it can be said to be anything, is a coincidental indicator.

5. Job Posting

Its a good recruitment services UK Jobs Blog!!!


Reactions: Twitter, blogs
  1. Liberal Conspiracy

    Research: UK has a 'jobs gap' of over 150k http://t.co/Sg1m8xA

  2. Noxi

    RT @libcon: Research: UK has a 'jobs gap' of over 150k http://t.co/kZkzLt0

  3. cllrdarrenfower

    Research: UK has a ‘jobs gap’ of over 150k – See: http://t.co/Q55HD3E





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