Job loss rate slows but 6,926 out of work

OLDHAM has reported a lower-than-expected rise in the number of people out of work.

With national figures soaring to record levels, the number of unemployed in the borough rose by 162 to 6,926, the fifth highest in Greater Manchester.

There are 5,260 men out of a job, a rise of 85 on last month, and 1,666 women, a rise of 77. This represents 5.2 per cent of the working population of Oldham.

The national rate is 7.1 per cent.

However, Oldham has the third highest figure of the 10 Greater Manchester authorities.

Nationally, unemployment jumped by almost a quarter of a million to take the total to 2.2 million.

Government data shows the biggest quarterly rise — 244,000 — in the number of people looking for a job since 1981.

The number of people claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance increased by 57,100 to 1,513,000, said the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

The UK’s unemployment total is now 2,215,000, the worst figure since 1996.

The quarterly unemployment increase was 12.4 per cent of the total and was worse than many analysts had predicted.

TUC general secretary Brendan Barber said: “This is another set of dreadful figures. Some people in the City are already talking of a recovery, but the only recovery in the real world will be when unemployment starts to fall.

“Unemployment is still the country’s number one emergency and the Government must use all possible means to address it.”

The number of people in work fell by 157,000 between January and March, while job vacancies were cut by 51,000 to 455,000, the figures showed. The unemployment rate is now 7.1 per cent, up by 0.8 per cent on the previous quarter.