Long-term jobless rate soars

More than 1,500 long-term unemployed people in the Borough will spend Christmas on the dole.

Gloomy figures released by the TUC show the soaring number of people out of work for more than a year.

The union’s statistics show that there were 405 long-term dole claimants in the Borough in 2007, which shot up to 1,265 in 2010 — a rise of 274 per cent.

This has increased again to 1,515 this year, a rise of 20f per cent over 12 months.

Across the North-West, almost 200,000 people will be spending Christmas on the dole, and for 33,000 it will be the second Christmas running without work.

As unemployment rises, wages are also falling in real terms — leaving many families who have work trying to enjoy Christmas on low wages.

The TUC say falling living standards has been the main cause of the economy flat-lining, with no economic growth this year, and blames Government austerity measures for tightening the squeeze.

North-West TUC Regional Secretary Alan Manning said: “As people gear up for the festive break, there won’t be much cheer for the 200,000 people who are spending Christmas on the dole — 33,000 for the second time.