Our dole queue ‘is bigger than we think’

Concerns have been raised that unemployment in Renfrewshire is far higher than statistics show.

There are currently 7,545 people in Renfrewshire claiming unemployment benefits, according to the Office for National Statistics.

The figures have previously been highlighted as a concern by organisations and politicians across the local authority.

Renfrewshire Citizen’s Advice Bureau believe the unemployment in the area will get worse as businesses continue to be affected, with 6.6 per cent of people jobless.

Fears have been raised about what future figures will look like as the government increases the percentage of financial responsibility of businesses as the furlough scheme continues.

West Scotland MSP Neil Bibby has also called on the Scottish Government to plough cash and resources into the area - which has one of the worst unemployment rates in Scotland.

However, a report on these figures from the ONS also suggests that unemployment is already higher than the claimant count would indicate, as economic inactivity is rising.

This is where people are out of work but not currently looking for work.

In the UK, estimates for March to May show a quarterly increase of 92,000 people who are economically inactive – bringing the total to 8.5 million people, which is 20.4 per cent of working age adults.

Sara Willcocks, head of communications at national poverty charity Turn2us, said: “It is now clear that we are heading for an intense period of high unemployment.

“Without intervention this will lead to mass personal debt, rising homelessness and increasing numbers of families going hungry.

“Whether you are losing your job on a London highstreet, or in a tourist town like Blackpool, it is vital that you are not left to sink into poverty.”

The benefit claimant count is a combination of claimants of Jobseeker’s Allowance ( JSA) and claimants of Universal Credit (UC) who fall within the UC ‘searching for work’ conditionality.

It includes some people that are still working a small number of hours and earning a little, but who are claiming UC and are required to look for work as part of that.

It also does not include everyone who is out of work, since not everyone is entitled to claim assistance, but it does indicate the trend in the employment market.

In Renfrewshire, the number of jobless adults in Renfrewshire claiming unemployment benefits during the pandemic has more than doubled.