Northern Ireland Unemployment Figures Rise Again

Unemployment figures in Northern Ireland have been rising over the last few months and figures released yesterday show that December is no exception.  In December the number of people claiming unemployment benefit increased by 300 to a total of 58,500.

These figures are particularly worrying as they show that over the last year jobless total increased by 7.7% in Northern Ireland compared to the UK as a whole where the jobless total has actually fallen by 9% over the same period.

Due to the fact that the unemployment rate is rising faster in Northern Ireland than elsewhere the number out of work has now almost reached that of the UK average which currently stands at 7.9%.  However, the rate still remains below that of the EU as a whole (10%) and the Republic of Ireland (14%).

Paul Gosling, financial journalist said on the BBC Evening Extra programme that “Northern Ireland is doing a lot worse than Britain”.  With rising inflation now at 3.7% and a predicted rise in interest rates “things are likely to get even worse particularly in Northern Ireland.”  He went on to say “Britain as a whole is getting out of recession at the moment but for two areas this is not true – Scotland and particularly Northern Ireland. In Northern Ireland there are no strong signs of recovery.”

These figures bear out the experiences of many CAB clients who are feeling the effects of the recession.  Enquiries to CAB offices across Northern Ireland on a range of issues have increased.  Figures show that in the nine months from April to December this year nearly 120,000 benefit issues were dealt with by Citizens Advice and queries on employment issues increased by just over 12% compared to the same period last year to just under 14,000.

Given the recent announcements about budget cuts and worries over public sector job losses these are very worrying times for many people in Northern Ireland.  It is likely that more people will find themselves out of work and having to access and depend upon social security benefits, maybe for the first time.  It is important for those who find themselves in this situation and who are finding it difficult to find out about their entitlements to see advice.  Full contact details for local CAB offices across Northern Ireland are available by clicking here.