Unemployment rises; affects women more


by Sunny Hundal    
12:28 pm - August 17th 2011

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The unemployment rate for the UK has risen to 7.9% nationally, according to figures released by the Office for National Statistics today.

The figures related to the three months to June 2011 and are up 0.1% on the previous quarter.

People saying they are being forced to work part-time is now the highest number since records began.

The unemployment figures hit women harder (21,000 out of the 38,000) – reaching 1.05 million, the highest figure since the three months to May 1988.

Given women’s participation rate in the labour market, an equitable rise would have been just 17,500.

Also in summary:
- The total number of unemployed people increased by 38,000 over the quarter to reach 2.49 million.

- The number of people unemployed for up to six months increased by 66,000 over the quarter to reach 1.23 million. This is the largest quarterly increase in this series since the three months to June 2009.

- The number of unemployed men increased by 18,000 on the quarter to reach 1.45 million.

Tony Dolphin, chief Economist at IPPR says:

Weakness in the labour market is also a reflection of a lack of growth in demand in the private sector caused by higher food and energy prices, slackening overseas demand and the rapid tightening of fiscal policy. Surveys show that this has led to cutbacks in output expectations and employment intentions among companies across the economy.

This lack of demand could be countered by a temporary tax cut or a boost to government capital spending accompanied by an increase in quantitative easing. Contrary to the assertion in yesterday’s letter from the Chancellor to the Governor of the Bank of England, there is no reason to believe a less strict fiscal tightening this year will necessarily lead to monetary tightening.

IPPR analysis shows public sector job cuts and changes to the child element of the Working Tax Credit in the Budget are primarily to blame.

The ONS has also released this video explaining the recent figures

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About the author
Sunny Hundal is editor of LC. Also: on Twitter, at Pickled Politics and Guardian CIF.
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Reader comments


1. redpesto

Sunny – is the imbalance due to cuts in the public sector (which employs more women than men)?

2. MatGB

So, unemployment rate is up, but total number employed is also up?

That means there are 60,000 people being counted that weren’t previously being counted, and that’s not all people moving into the country.

Anyone know how many have been forced off incapacity &c by the ATOS checks?

3. Tim J

Sunny – is the imbalance due to cuts in the public sector (which employs more women than men)?

I suspect it’s more likely to be about people being moved off other sorts of benefits and onto Jobseeker’s Allowance.


Reactions: Twitter, blogs
  1. Liberal Conspiracy

    Unemployment rises; affects women more http://t.co/Ua7EW9F

  2. Legal Aware

    Unemployment rises; affects women more http://t.co/Ua7EW9F

  3. Karen

    Unemployment rises; affects women more http://t.co/Ua7EW9F

  4. sunny hundal

    Today's figures also show that unemployment amongst women now at 1.05m, highest since 1988 http://t.co/1v4sPL3

  5. azumah

    Today's figures also show that unemployment amongst women now at 1.05m, highest since 1988 http://t.co/1v4sPL3

  6. milian

    Today's figures also show that unemployment amongst women now at 1.05m, highest since 1988 http://t.co/1v4sPL3

  7. Chris Paul

    Unemployment rises; affects women more http://t.co/Ua7EW9F

  8. Lianne

    Unemployment rises again – more forced into part-time work, and women worse off http://t.co/j1fSpk4 via @libcon

  9. janeholgate

    Today's figures also show that unemployment amongst women now at 1.05m, highest since 1988 http://t.co/1v4sPL3

  10. Andy S

    Unemployment rises; affects women more http://t.co/GaNxCVb (via @libcon) < women are being punished all ways round in Tory Britain…again.

  11. Sam

    Today's figures also show that unemployment amongst women now at 1.05m, highest since 1988 http://t.co/1v4sPL3

  12. Georgia Rose Butler

    Today's figures also show that unemployment amongst women now at 1.05m, highest since 1988 http://t.co/1v4sPL3

  13. Shaheena Salahuddin

    Today's figures also show that unemployment amongst women now at 1.05m, highest since 1988 http://t.co/1v4sPL3

  14. MarinaS

    Today's figures also show that unemployment amongst women now at 1.05m, highest since 1988 http://t.co/1v4sPL3

  15. Clara Boxall

    Unemployment rises; affects women more http://t.co/GaNxCVb (via @libcon) < women are being punished all ways round in Tory Britain…again.

  16. Pie

    Today's figures also show that unemployment amongst women now at 1.05m, highest since 1988 http://t.co/1v4sPL3

  17. sunny hundal

    Of 38k rise in unemployed announced today, 21k are women. Given participation in labour mkt it shld have been just 17.5k http://t.co/1v4sPL3

  18. Fazey Pie

    Of 38k rise in unemployed announced today, 21k are women. Given participation in labour mkt it shld have been just 17.5k http://t.co/1v4sPL3

  19. Becky Wright

    Of 38k rise in unemployed announced today, 21k are women. Given participation in labour mkt it shld have been just 17.5k http://t.co/1v4sPL3

  20. tomhenri

    @Bancarino as we always suspected women were going to bear the brunt of the gov's crap economic policies http://t.co/5yMK2Mv

  21. Martin Hearson

    Of 38k rise in unemployed announced today, 21k are women. Given participation in labour mkt it shld have been just 17.5k http://t.co/1v4sPL3

  22. Sona Chavda

    Of 38k rise in unemployed announced today, 21k are women. Given participation in labour mkt it shld have been just 17.5k http://t.co/1v4sPL3

  23. Warren O'Keefe

    Of 38k rise in unemployed announced today, 21k are women. Given participation in labour mkt it shld have been just 17.5k http://t.co/1v4sPL3

  24. Omolade

    Of 38k rise in unemployed announced today, 21k are women. Given participation in labour mkt it shld have been just 17.5k http://t.co/1v4sPL3

  25. Emily Bishop

    Of 38k rise in unemployed announced today, 21k are women. Given participation in labour mkt it shld have been just 17.5k http://t.co/1v4sPL3

  26. Christopher Meredith

    Of 38k rise in unemployed announced today, 21k are women. Given participation in labour mkt it shld have been just 17.5k http://t.co/1v4sPL3

  27. Ceehaitch

    Of 38k rise in unemployed announced today, 21k are women. Given participation in labour mkt it shld have been just 17.5k http://t.co/1v4sPL3

  28. Tara B

    Of 38k rise in unemployed announced today, 21k are women. Given participation in labour mkt it shld have been just 17.5k http://t.co/1v4sPL3

  29. Dr Fiona Bloomer

    Of 38k rise in unemployed announced today, 21k are women. Given participation in labour mkt it shld have been just 17.5k http://t.co/1v4sPL3

  30. clare batten

    Today's figures also show that unemployment amongst women now at 1.05m, highest since 1988 http://t.co/1v4sPL3

  31. Where are the modern-day Suffragettes against the cuts? | TRAITS OF THE RICH

    [...] business pages of newspapers this week was a big one: the number of unemployed women in the UK is now the highest since 1988. This is business alright. This should be EVERYONE’S business, and ought to inspire shame, [...]





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