Millions want to work but get no support

A new report by The Salvation Army has found that a staggering 1.6 million people who want to work are not receiving Government Employment support.  

Official figures state that there are 1.45 million unemployed people but an analysis by The Salvation Army argues that the ‘real unemployment’ figure is actually 3.2 million.

To be classed as unemployed you must have actively sought work within the last four weeks and are available to start work within the next two weeks.

However, that classification does not include people who want to work but cannot actively search for a job for reasons usually beyond their control such as lack of affordable childcare or adult social care, lack up-to-date skills and homelessness. 

The church and charity is calling on the new Government to:

• Widen the group of people eligible for employability support from the state 
• Ensure investing in people who are being held back from employment sits alongside measures to boost the economy and create jobs. 

Rebecca Keating, Director of Employment Services at The Salvation Army said: 

“This election, all the parties are rightly focussed on job creation, but they must not forget about preparing the people who are being held back from the job market to be ready to take up newly created jobs."

“Every day, our Employment Plus services see people who are desperate to work but because they are carers, recovering from long term sickness are homeless or a mum with young children, they are not eligible for employability support.

“The longer people are out of the work force, the harder it will be to support them into work. True economic prosperity comes when jobs are created and those who can work are job ready.

“We want to see Government invest in the ‘real unemployed’, making sure the 1.6 million people who are economically inactive but want to work get the support into employment they need.

“This means rethinking the funding. Most of the funding for Employment support comes from the current UK Shared Prosperity Fund created as part of The Levelling Up Agenda. However, this funding pot gets split into lots of regeneration projects meaning that Employment Support rarely gets the long term ringfenced investment it needs to make a difference. All the major political parties are yet to commit to the UK Shared Prosperity Fund in the long-term.

“Supporting people who have been held back from work for many years takes time but the investment into people has a positive ripple effect. Employment gives people independence, improves health, wellbeing and confidence, builds relationships and support families. It also transforms communities as employment means increased economic prosperity which what all the parties want to achieve.”

How the figures break down. Of the labour force which is people aged 16-64;

• There are 1.45 million unemployed people -   this is 4.4% of the labour force.
• There are 1.72 million Economically Inactive but do want to work -  this is 4.1% of the labour force
• Of the 3.2 million real unemployed, 1.6 million are not getting any Government support to help them into work. Most of this group are in the ‘economically inactive but wants a job’ group but some will also be classed as unemployed but not claiming work related benefits and are unlikely to need help to get into work. However, we know that most of the 1.6 million people do need help and are at risk of being unemployed for years. 
• Of the 1.72 million Economically Inactive but do want to work:
  o    360,000 are carers (21.0%)
  o    960,000 are women (55.8%)  
  o    630,000 are long-term sick and/or disabled (36.7%) 

The Salvation Army’s Employment Plus service supports people into quality work, not just any job. Employment Plus helps people who face the biggest barriers to employment such as a lack of up to-to date skills, those who have been unable to search for work due to health problems, disability, or homelessness.