Recession hits Yorkshire cities as unemployment rises

YORKSHIRE cities are among those suffering most from unemployment during the recession.

That’s the conclusion of research out today which reveals that the number of people claiming benefits in Bradford, Leeds and Sheffield has increased markedly when compared to a year ago.

Hull’s local authority area also saw one of the highest rises of people claiming Job Seekers’ Allowance (JSA) in February compared to the same month in 2008, according to the analysis by The Work Foundation.

The Work Foundation said the recession had impacted most on large cities outside London and areas linked with traditional manufacturing and heavy industry.

Leeds was the second worst-affected city according to the research, with almost 9,000 more people claiming JSA compared to 12 months ago. The total figure making claims in the city was more than 21,500.

In Sheffield the figure was up by more than 5,500 to 14,017 and in Hull there was a surge of 5,304 people to 13,366.

Bradford also saw an increase to 14,321 compared to 9,242 in February 2008.

In Kirklees, people claiming JSA almost doubled from 5,980 to 10,960. 

Naomi Clayton, senior researcher at research organisation The Work Foundation, said: “Places in the eye of the storm as job losses mount are the UK’s core cities and areas associated with traditional manufacturing – places which in many cases had yet to recover fully from previous recessions before this one set in.
 
“In terms of absolute numbers of new people signing on for JSA, it is the core cities of the north and midlands that are worst hit.

“Perhaps more revealing, though, are the council areas that have seen the sharpest upward movements in unemployment rates. These tell a story of a more traditional UK recession: some areas which had yet to experience the economic prosperity enjoyed by others are once more showing how vulnerable they are to downturns, especially if dependent on single employers.
 
“Policymakers ignore how recessions play out locally at their peril. It is to be hoped that the forthcoming budget focuses much more attention on the large cities – Manchester, Leeds, Birmingham – that can drive the recovery, as well as recognising which areas need the most support to survive and prepare for better times.”