Stable economic climate helping to cut unemployment

Monday 24 July 2017

Jersey’s Social Security Minister says a combination of a “more stable external [economic] environment” and “local measures taken to promote growth” means unemployment in the Island in 2016 was at a record six-year low.

In her annual report to the States, Deputy Susie Pinel also says “another positive result of the improved economic position combined with well-targeted benefits was a steady reduction in the number of people needing Income Support.”

In December 2012 more than 1,800 people were registered as 'actively seeking work'. That number has steadily dropped, and in December 2016 stood at 1,280. The report also notes that, “...more than a quarter of those registered as actively seeking work were working part-time, but were required to find more hours under their Income Support requirements.”

According to the department, much of the success in helping to cut the number of people looking for work has been due to the Back to Work teams. In 2014 and 2015, when unemployment was higher and therefore more people were looking for work they helped find jobs for 2,140 and 1,910 people respectively. Last year, they found jobs for 2,036 people. The department says: “There is no doubt that without the investment in Back to Work the numbers of those registered as actively seeking work would have been higher.”

There were 3,735 individuals who were actively seeking work at some point during 2016. The split between males and females was approximately 50%, with the largest group being represented by males aged between 16 and 19 (303, 8% of all Islanders in this category registered as actively seeking work at some point during the year).