The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Jobless in Scotland rising faster than UK as a whole
● Thinktank reports situation will get worse as firms take stock
Scottish unemployment is rising faster than in the UK as a whole as Covid-19 wreaks havoc in the job market.
Official figures from the Office for National Statistics show the joblessness rate for Scotland grew by 0.6% between March and May, to 4.3%, compared with a UK-wide rate of 3.9%.
The number of unemployed Scots was up by 15,000 to 120,000, while the number of 16 to 64-year-olds in work north of the border fell by 47,000 to 2.642 million – a 1.2% drop on the previous quarter – as lockdown took its toll.
ONS said UK unemployment fell by 17,000 to 1.35m, but the claimant count has more than doubled since March – soaring 112.2% or by 1.4m – and the number of people in work fell by 126,000 to 32.95m.
With 9.4m people on furlough classed as employed, the true impact of Covid-19 on UK jobs is unlikely to emerge until after the current support scheme ends in October.
Aberdeen Jobcentre customer services leader Carol Sadler said the latest claimaint count in the Granite City totalled 8,025 people – a 95% increase from a year ago. The yearon-year jump was even bigger for 18 to 24-yearolds, rising 120% to 1,384.
Aberdeenshire’s total claimant count rose 106% last month, to 8,025, with the figure for 18 to 24-yearolds rising by a similar percentage to 1,083.
Ms Sadler said the jobcentre was, in partnership with others, developing new ways of supporting those under threat of redundancy.
On a more positive note, she said: “We are starting to see small numbers of vacancies in all sectors, including hospitality.”
Universal credit claimants, including workers, in the Highland Council area rose by 4% to 20,282 last month.
Elma Hall, employer and partnership manager for Inverness and Rossshire Jobcentres, said local initiatives included plans for new courses aimed at people made redundant following furlough.
She added these would include “support with managing the emotions and behaviours that such an experience brings, as well as how to identify transferable skills to find new careers”.
The Fraser of Allander Institute cautioned the latest labour market figures were “not a full reflection” of the employment situation facing workers in Scotland.
The economic thinktank’s head of research, Stuart McIntyre, said: “As businesses restart, and the furlough and self-employment support schemes begin to wind down, there will be a reassessment of the workforce needs.
“We expect a substantial jump in unemployment and drop in employment.”