‘Staggering’ statistics show ‘appalling’ effect of pandemic on young

Young people across the Highlands have been robbed of the ability to earn money by Covid-19. Stark new figures, dubbed “staggering” by Highland Council’ s children’s champion, lay bare the extent to which incomes have been devastated.

The authority’s figures reveal people who rely on tourism are among the hardest hit, while young people have been plunged into unemployment.

Universal Credit claims have rocketed since March, prompting council leader Margaret Davidson to describe the situation as “extraordinarily worrying”.

Compared to March, when lockdown was imposed in the UK, the number of claimants was up by 78% in August, from 11,277 to 20,119.

The 16-24 age group has been worst- hit, almost doubling from 1,677 claimants in March to 3,251 in August.

The council’s children’s champion, Linda Munro, said: “The statistics are staggering and the fact that behind every percentage point is a young and sometimes very young person’s life is appalling.

“Covid-19 has robbed our young people of so much.

“Our young people should be aiming for the stars, not part of skyrocketing benefit claims.”

Mrs Davidson said she was astonished by the latest figures and admitted she is concerned.

“It is an extraordinarily worrying situation,” she said. “People are being driven to this miserly benefit just to keep food on the table. I am really fearful of the bleak winter ahead.”

The council is now working with other public agencies to find out where jobs and training are available.

It is also urging anyone in difficulty to contact its phone line on 0300 303 1362 as a first port of call for help.

Lochaber and Skye are among the hardest- hit areas, highlighting their dependence on tourism.

Claimants at the Fort William job centre have increased by 110% to 1,718 and at the Portree job centre by 198% to 1,163.

Skye councillor John Finlayson said the figures were of great concern.

“L ocal members will monitoring things closely and working with all agencies to ensure that where possible additional support is provided for individuals and families who are struggling,” he said. In Lochaber, Caol and Mallaig councillor Ben Thompson described the job centre figures as extremely worrying, with the end of the furlough scheme likely to hit the Highlands hard.

He said: “I know on the ground today the picture is even bleaker than these figures show.

“They only go to August when we were having a short-lived boom in tourism.

“Since then, many Lochaber hospitality businesses have closed either permanently or temporarily with many more, particularly young staff, now out of work.”

Meanwhile, the council is looking at an electricity voucher scheme to help people, extending the winter fuel payment scheme in Inverness and potentially using an underspend in the Inverness Common Good Fund and Scottish Government’s Covid- 19related welfare fund to support the needy.

Highland Citizens Advice Bureau has recruited four more staff to advise on fuel poverty and they can be reached on 0 14 6 3 237664.

We know that underlying conditions leave some more vulnerable to the physical threat posed by coronavirus. In economic terms, there is a similar pattern, and it is our young people who are suffering the consequences.

Over recent years, more and more young people have started their careers in traditionally lower-paid industries such as tourism, food and retail.

By awful coincidence, those same sectors have been disproportionately hammered by the efforts to suppress the virus.

The result – as shown by the shocking rise in benefit claims among those aged 18 to 24 across the north that we highlight today – is an unemployment emergency affecting the whole of our region.

Huge numbers of aspiring individuals just starting out on adult life are confronted with a struggle simply to survive as the rug is pulled from under their feet.

Finding ways to alleviate the immediate symptoms must be an urgent priority.

Efforts by Highland Council and others to explore ways to plug the financial gaps are welcome in that regard.

But this is not just a short-term crisis.

To draw another parallel with the medical impact of the pandemic, it is this generation which is most likely to be affected in social terms by a kind of “long Covid” – the struggle to recover continuing long after the initial symptoms are dealt with.

In commissioning experts to draw up plans for our economic recovery, governments put great emphasis on ensuring today’s school leavers are not pole-axed irrecoverably.

The need to see some reassuring flesh put on the bones of that aspiration is becoming increasingly important as the harsh reality bites.

Councillor Linda Munro.