Unemployment reaches staggering new high

The number of people claiming job seeker’s allowance has soared by 54% in just one year, figures have revealed.

Over 5000 in Rochdale are without a job, part of a massive 60,000 in Greater Manchester.

It is the eighth straight month that jobseeker's allowance claimant figures have grown, after a string of local businesses collapsed.

Jobseeker's allowance claimants rocketed by 11% in December 2008 alone.

Workers are facing more bad news as the number of vacancies at Jobcentre Plus have fallen to just 6,100, meaning there is 0.1 jobs available per unemployed person.

John Holden, head of economic research at Manchester's Commission for Economic Development, Employment and Skills said: "Job opportunities are drying up as businesses freeze recruitment in the face of economic uncertainty and the 6,100 vacancies on Jobcentre Plus' books is the lowest number since monitoring began in April 2004."

Baron Frankal, director of economic strategy at the Economic Commission added: "Clearly the economic environment is tough for businesses and residents alike and it is likely to remain so throughout 2009.

“The government has announced a raft of new support to help people who become unemployed get back into work and gain new skills but more needs to be done to support Manchester's businesses to create new and better jobs for people to move in to.

“Even in a recession there are businesses that are doing well and looking to expand.

“It is particularly important for local and national government to respond quickly to the findings of the Manchester Independent Economic Review report on investment, published last Friday, and to provide more support for Manchester's large firms as these are likely to be the companies that lead investment and job growth in the future".