Unemployment Statistics - October 2017

timestamp
Unemployment Statistics - October 2017

The total number of unemployed claimants in Dagenham and Rainham constituency in October 2017 was 1,605. This represents a rate of 3.1% of the economically active population aged 16-64, the 188th highest of the 650 UK constituencies (1st=highest claimant rate, 650th = lowest claimant rate.) The equivalent UK claimant rate was 2.5%. The UK unemployment rate, which includes people not claiming benefits and is estimated from survey data. Was 4.3% between July and September 2017.

The number of claimants in Dagenham and Rainham constituency is 10 lower than October 2016 and 15 lower than September 2017. There were 350 claimants aged 18-24 in October 2017, 40 lower than October 2016.

Figures are not seasonally adjusted and are rounded to the nearest five, meaning changes may be slightly over- or understated due to rounding errors. ?Unemployed claimants' include people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance or who are claiming Universal Credit and are required to seek work.

Impact of Universal Credit and further information

Under Universal Credit, a broader span of claimants are required to look for work than under Jobseeker's Allowance. This has the effect of increasing the number of unemployed claimants. The effect is most visible in areas operating Universal Credit "Full Service" (where rollout of Universal Credit is more advanced).

Most jobcentre areas have not yet moved to "Full Service" but will do so over the course of 2017 and 2018. For more details see the Library's briefing paper on Universal Credit and the claimant count.

Statistics on people claiming unemployment benefits by constituency from May 2010 are available from the Library's Constituency Profiles. The Library's monthly briefing paper, People claiming unemployment benefits by constituency, will be published shortly. The paper contains the latest for all constituencies and provides further analysis at the national level.

Local MP for Dagenham and Rainham, Jon Cruddas has suggested that the "madness" of the Universal Credit risks pushing thousands into poverty.

Benefit claimants will be switched to the new system in February as the reform will take effect across England. The Universal Credit will have the effect of replacing six benefits with a single monthly payment and waiting six to twelve weeks for their support.

Jon said: "There's a lot of work to be done on increasing employment locally, and over the next few years we should see progress due to the huge investments planned for Dagenham East."

"I have been fighting all week in parliament against the roll out of Universal Credit, which has serious implications for over 20,000 people in the constituency. UC will do little to alleviate the problems already faced in the area and I will continue to do all I can to ensure that this has as little negative impact as possible."