Jobless '˜on the rise' in Barnsley

Figures revealed through website nomis, which compiles official labour market statistics, showed there were 3,017 people claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance in Barnsley in January, up 219 or 7.8 per cent on December’s total.

This represents two per cent of the population – higher than the 1.5 per cent of the population claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance across the country.

“In Mr Dugher’s Barnsley East constituency, the total number of jobseekers was 1,213 - up 97 or 8.6 per cent on the previous month.

The number of out of work young people aged 18 to 24 also increased, with the total number across Barnsley standing at 525, up 2.9 per cent on December, and the total in Barnsley East increasing by 7.8 per cent to 205.

Mr Dugher said: “These figures show a worrying increase in unemployment in Barnsley. The Government has no industrial strategy.

The Government has recently pointed to national figures which show the number of people out of work in the UK fell by 58,000 to 1.91 million, its lowest level for more than six years, in the three months to November.

Work and pensions secretary Iain Duncan Smith said these national figures were a positive sign for the economy.