UNEMPLOYMENT AND EMPLOYMENT TRENDS IN THE BOROUGH
Mandi Grice, Jobcentre Plus
Minutes:
Mandi Grice of Jobcentre Plus provided an update on unemployment and employment trends in the Borough as at March 2012, and noted there had been a decrease of 70 people appearing in the unemployment figures for the Borough.
New benefit rates would be introduced from 9th April 2012. Household benefit payments would also be limited to no more than average household earnings from April 2013. This would impact approximately 350-400 families in the Borough and work was underway to notify and support those affected. Changes had also been made to Employment Support Allowance, and claimants within the Work Related Activity Group would be supported to move back into employment.
Jobcentre Plus was working to deliver a new national programme to support young people aged 16-24 years into employment. The Youth Contract would provide young people with training and apprenticeships that would lead to real employment opportunities.
UNEMPLOYMENT AND EMPLOYMENT TRENDS IN THE BOROUGH
Dave Keogh and Mandi Grice, Jobcentre Plus
Minutes:
Dave Keogh and Amanda Grice of Jobcentre Plus provided an update on unemployment and employment trends in the Borough, tabling figures as at the end of November 2011. The number of claimants for each vacancy was 6.8 in Bromley, as opposed to 6.3 across London and 4.7 nationally. Claimants in Bromley were being urged to look further afield for work in surrounding boroughs, Docklands and opportunities related to the Olympics. There had been a marginal increase in people on Job Seekers Allowance to 5,927, (3% of the working age population). The London figure was 4.4%, the national figure was 3.8%.
About 1,500 of these were young people between the ages of 18 and 24. The Government was investing £1bn in a national programme, the Youth Contract, to support this age group. They would be interviewed on a weekly basis, and there would be increased opportunities for work experience. Colin Maclean asked whether the voluntary sector could be involved in work experience placements as employers: this would be checked. Anyone interested in providing work experience was urged to contact Amanda Grice.