Long term unemployed at lowest levels for four years

Monday 13 April 2015

The latest figures for those Actively Seeking Work in March 2015, show the number of long term unemployed is now at its lowest level in four years.

Meanwhile the seasonally adjusted total number of people registered was essentially unchanged from the previous month and similar to the average for the preceding three months. Most age groups recorded small decreases, with 30 fewer teenagers (aged 16-19) than February, and 60 fewer than March 2014.

On 31st March, 1,560 were registered with the Social Security Department. Half of these had been registered for three months or fewer. The numbers are still a way off from the pre-recession years, in March 2009 the total unemployed stood at 1,050.

There is no legal requirement to register as actively seeking work if you have been made unemployed in Jersey, and in particular those in the finance industry tend to register with specialist employment agencies, rather than social security. Of those registered, the largest proportion, a fifth were previously employed in 'Retail and Wholesale, Motor repairs and sales'.

Over a quarter of people Actively seeking work in March, were classified as 'underemployed', ie they were were working less than 35 hours per week and were actively seeking more work. This is seven percent more than the same time last year. More than two-fifths of this category are aged 45 years or over.

Most age groups who were underemployed saw a decrease of around 10 to 20 individuals in the last month, except for the 30 to 34 age group which registered an increase of 20 people.

February's figures saw an increase in the overall figures due to changes to the Income Support criterion relating to Long-Term Incapacity Allowance.