Unemployment in South Lanarkshire
October 2003
Report by:
Central Policy Unit
Chief Executive’s Service
South Lanarkshire Council
AGE AND LENGTH OF TIME UNEMPLOYED
INTRODUCTION
South Lanarkshire Council is committed to ensuring that its Elected Members, Officers partners and customers are informed about economic trends in South Lanarkshire.
The ‘Information Bank’ pages within the Community Plan website – www.step.gb.uk – also contains economic, social and demographic information on South Lanarkshire and areas within it.
The Council is also aware of the need for shorter, information notes on issues of particular concern, and in this regard has been producing Quarterly Unemployment Reports. These reports are widely circulated both within and outwith the Council.
OFFICIAL UNEMPLOYMENT
¨ The official total unemployment figure for South Lanarkshire in October 2003 was 5,165 of which 3,914 were men and 1,251 were women. The official rate of unemployment for South Lanarkshire was 2.7% which was slightly below the Scottish rate of 3.0% and compares with the British rate of 2.4%.
Table 1: Claimant Unemployment in October 2003
|
Area |
Male Nos: |
Male Rate |
Female Nos: |
Female Rate |
Total Nos: |
Total Rate |
|
South Lanarkshire |
3,914 |
4.1 |
1,251 |
1.3 |
5,165 |
2.7 |
|
Scotland |
72,643 |
4.5 |
22,383 |
1.5 |
95,026 |
3.0 |
|
Great Britain |
635,774 |
3.5 |
233,336 |
1.3 |
859,110 |
2.4 |
Source : National Statistics (note 1)
Note 1 : The unemployment data for South Lanarkshire, its communities and wards, for Scotland and Great Britain, refers
to those who were unemployed and in receipt of ‘Job Seekers Allowance’, or ‘National Insurance Credits’, at that time.
¨ The South Lanarkshire male unemployment rate was 4.1%, the female rate was 1.3%.
¨ Although the unemployment rate has been improving in recent months, the position relative to Scotland has decreased to 90.3 (9.7% lower) the lowest October figure ever. The rate against Great Britain has also worsened slightly and is 112 (12% higher). This is the lowest October figure ever recorded and has remained the same in October for the past three years.
¨ South Lanarkshire had the 15th highest rate in Scotland out of the 32 Council areas. However, caution is needed with the use of official rates for unitary authorities due to an over-estimation of unemployment in areas with few local jobs. (see note 1)
Note 1 : The unemployment data for South Lanarkshire, its communities and wards, for Scotland and Great Britain, refers
to those who were unemployed and in receipt of ‘Job Seekers Allowance’, or ‘National Insurance Credits’, at that time.
¨ National Statistics have changed the method of calculating unemployment rates from January 2001 bringing it closer to the approach used by the council for ward rates.
Figure 1 : Official Unemployment Rates for South Lanarkshire
Source: National Statistics
FIGURE 2 : Claimant Unemployment in South Lanarkshire
Source : National Statistics
FIGURE 3 : Relative to Scotland and Great Britain
Source : National Statistics
LABOUR FORCE SURVEY
¨ The workless total was estimated at 22,000 in South Lanarkshire in 2001, a rate of 14% which compares with a Scotland figure of 15% and 12% for the UK as a whole. (see note 2)
Note 2: The ‘Worklessness’ definition refers to those who are unemployed, and seeking or wanting work, whether or not they have actively sought work in the preceeding four weeks, or were available for work within the next two weeks.
¨ The workless rate has come down from 19% in 1997, similar to the decline seen in the Scotland and UK rates.
¨ The workless rate in South Lanarkshire is less than the Scottish rate and has been marginally higher than the UK rate.
TABLE 2 : Workless totals 1997-2001
|
|
1997 |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
2001 |
|
South Lanarkshire |
32,000 |
23,000 |
23,000 |
24,000 |
22,000 |
|
Scotland |
443,000 |
413,000 |
395,000 |
376,000 |
407,000 |
|
UK |
4,289,000 |
4,067,000 |
3,951,000 |
3,769,000 |
3,668,000 |
Source: Labour Force Survey – Local Authority Database
TABLE 3 : Workless rates 1997-2001
|
|
1997 |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
2001 |
|
South Lanarkshire |
19.3% |
13.4% |
13.2% |
14.8% |
13.7% |
|
Scotland |
16.5% |
15.5% |
14.9% |
14.0% |
14.9% |
|
UK |
14.1% |
13.3% |
12.9% |
12.2% |
11.8% |
Source: Labour Force Survey – Local Authority Database
AGE AND LENGTH OF TIME UNEMPLOYED
¨ 1,607 people, 31.2% of the unemployed were aged under 24 and claiming the Jobseekers allowance.
¨ 27.8% of unemployed people (1,428 people) have been unemployed for over six months.
¨ Most of the 620 long term unemployed (1 year plus) are male - 512 (82.6% of all long term unemployed).
TABLE 4 : South Lanarkshire Claimants by age band in October 2003
|
Age Band |
Men |
Women |
Total |
% of Total |
|
16-19 |
393 |
233 |
626 |
11.0 |
|
20-24 |
748 |
233 |
981 |
19.1 |
|
25-34 |
1,012 |
187 |
1,199 |
23.3 |
|
35-44 |
750 |
230 |
980 |
19.0 |
|
45-54 |
636 |
235 |
871 |
16.9 |
|
55-59 |
301 |
125 |
426 |
8.3 |
|
60 plus |
62 |
0 |
62 |
1.2 |
|
TOTAL |
3,902 |
1,243 |
5,145 |
100 |
Source : National Statistics
Figure 4 : Age Breakdown of South Lanarkshire’s Unemployed Claimants
TABLE 5 : South Lanarkshire Claimants by length of time unemployed in October 2003
|
|
Male |
Female |
Total |
|
Under a month |
856 |
293 |
1,149 |
|
1-6 months |
1,888 |
680 |
2,568 |
|
6 months to 1 year |
646 |
162 |
808 |
|
1 to 2 years |
361 |
71 |
422 |
|
2 to 5 years |
100 |
22 |
122 |
|
5 years plus |
61 |
15 |
76 |
Source : National Statistics (see note 1)
(see note 5)
Note 1 : The unemployment data for South Lanarkshire, its communities and wards, for Scotland and Great Britain, refers to those who were unemployed and in receipt of ‘Job Seekers Allowance’, or ‘National Insurance Credits’, at that time.
Note 5 : The age and duration figures refer only to those unemployed whose claims are computerized, around 99.5% of all claimants, on average, tend to be older and more long term unemployment.
Figure 5 : South Lanarkshire’s Claimant Unemployed by Length of Time Unemployed
(see note 1)
(see note 5)
Note 1 : The unemployment data for South Lanarkshire, its communities and wards, for Scotland and Great Britain,
refers to those who were unemployed and in receipt of ‘Job Seekers Allowance’, or ‘National Insurance Credits’,
at that time.
Note 5 : The age and duration figures refer only to those unemployed whose claims are computerized, around
99.5% of all claimants, on average, tend to be older and more long term unemployment.
COMMUNITY UNEMPLOYMENT
¨ Total unemployment rates vary from 6.5% in Blantyre and 5.6 % in Lesmahagow to 1.8% in Bothwell and 2.2% in Uddingston.
¨ Over the past year, unemployment has increased in five areas. The biggest increases were in Strathaven (+26.2%) and Cambuslang (+12.3%). Unemployment fell in the remaining nine areas, with the largest percentage falls being in Larkhall (-19.2%) and Bothwell (-15.9%).
¨ Young people make up over a quarter of the unemployed in most areas. In Cambuslang (41.0%) and Stonehouse (39.4%), of the claimant unemployed are aged under 25, as are 36.3% of Lanark’s unemployed. In Uddingston only 20% are aged under 25, as were 22.6% in Bothwell.
¨ The incidence of long term unemployment (1 year plus) is greatest in Blantyre (23.5%), Clydesdale East (16.2%) and Lanark (14.1%). Long term unemployment accounts for only 5.0% of Uddingston and 5.3% of Stonehouse.
TABLE 6 : Claimant unemployment by community in October 2003
|
Community Area of Residence |
Total Claimants Numbers |
Total Claimants % Rate |
Change over last year Numbers |
Change over last year % |
Under 25 Unemployed as % of Total |
Long Term Unemployed as % of Total |
|
Blantyre |
501 |
6.5 |
-55 |
-9.9 |
26.7 |
23.5 |
|
Bothwell |
53 |
1.8 |
-10 |
-15.9 |
22.6 |
11.3 |
|
Cambuslang |
373 |
4.2 |
41 |
12.3 |
41 |
6.7 |
|
Carluke |
257 |
2.9 |
-16 |
-5.9 |
32.3 |
9.7 |
|
Clydesdale East |
216 |
3.3 |
-17 |
-7.3 |
31.5 |
16.2 |
|
East Kilbride |
1,244 |
3.0 |
-7 |
-0.6 |
26.4 |
12.2 |
|
Hamilton |
961 |
4.3 |
-57 |
-5.6 |
30.9 |
10.4 |
|
Lanark |
355 |
4.7 |
23 |
6.9 |
36.3 |
14.1 |
|
Larkhall |
261 |
3.7 |
-62 |
-19.2 |
33.3 |
13.8 |
|
Lesmahagow |
184 |
5.6 |
12 |
7.0 |
35.9 |
11.4 |
|
Rutherglen |
609 |
4.3 |
3 |
0.5 |
32.7 |
9.0 |
|
Stonehouse |
132 |
3.7 |
-3 |
-2.2 |
39.4 |
5.3 |
|
Strathaven |
135 |
2.8 |
28 |
26.2 |
31.1 |
6.7 |
|
Uddingston |
60 |
2.2 |
-7 |
-10.4 |
20.0 |
5.0 |
|
South Lanarkshire |
5,145 |
3.8 |
-143 |
-2.7 |
31.2 |
12.1 |
Source : National Statistics