Emergency level of jobless youth

neighbourhoods across the borough where youth unemployment has reached an “emergency” have been revealed today.
Alexandra, Coldhurst and St Mary’s are included on a list of 600 hotspots where the proportion of young people claiming out-of-work benefits is at “crisis” levels.

In parts of Oldham, more than one in eight young people are claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance.

A commission chaired by Labour MP David Miliband identified the 600 “hotspots” across the UK, covering 152 local authority areas, which show 13.21 per cent of all young people in Alexandra are claiming the payment, 13.43 per cent in Coldhurst and 13.66 per cent in St Mary’s. The Commission on Youth Unemployment urged the Government to do more to help young people find work, including a part-time job guarantee for those on the Work Programme for a year.

Mr Miliband said: “Britain faces a youth-unemployment emergency.

“This is a crisis we cannot afford. The Government has set the right goal — abolishing long-term youth unemployment — but we will need big change if we are to achieve it.

“Young people, the Government, communities and employers will all need to up their game if young people are to succeed in a radically-changing jobs market.

“Our report sets out a practical route map for how they can do precisely that. The crisis of youth unemployment can and must be tackled now. With action we can make a real difference across Britain.”

Mr Miliband said despite the lack of jobs available due to the recession, there was a deeper problem in the UK.

“Even in the good times, in 2004 when the economy seemed to be booming, there were 900,000 youngsters who were not in education, employment or training — half of them for over a year. The current government did not invent this problem but it has become much worse in the last 18 months,” he said.

The commission wants the Government to double the number of subsidised job places available through its “youth contract” scheme, guarantee part-time jobs for those out of work for a year and create youth unemployment zones to focus resources. According to the report, the current level of youth joblessness will cost £4.8 billion this year.