Liverpool and Knowsley top blackspot list for benefits claims

Apr 21 2008 by Alan Weston, Liverpool Daily Post

KNOWSLEY and Liverpool are the North West’s worst blackspots for long-term benefits claimants, according to figures released today by the Conservatives.

In the Knowsley area, 18.2% – nearly one in five of the working age population – has been on benefits for two years or more.

In Liverpool, the figure is 17.6%.

These figures are also among the highest in the United Kingdom, with only parts of Wales and the North East scoring higher.

After Liverpool and Knowsley other Merseyside and Cheshire areas which featured included Halton (14.2%), Wirral (13.7%), St Helens (13.5%), Sefton (12.4%) and Ellesmere Port and Neston (9.5%).

The Tories compiled the figures by looking at total benefit claims, rather than for just Jobseekers’ Allowance, which is traditionally used to calculate unemployment.

Shadow Secretary for Work and Pensions Chris Grayling said: “Some of these figures are truly shocking.

“In the past few years, we have seen unprecedented numbers of people coming to work in the UK from overseas, yet the number of people on long-term, out-of-work benefits is increasing. The situation makes no sense.’ ‘

In February, a wide-ranging scheme to tackle the unemployment crisis in Merseyside was launched, led by Knowsley.

Figures revealed 22 “hot spots” in Merseyside, including Birkenhead, Bootle, Kirkby and Kirkdale, where unemployment is between 52% and 62% of working age people.

Jobless figures showed unemployment in some of the city’s most deprived areas was static or getting worse.

But just a fraction of jobless people were claiming Jobseekers’ Allowance. The vast majority – more than 150,000 in and around Merseyside – were claiming other benefits.

The City Employment Strategy was said to mark a seismic shift in the way worklessness was tackled.

Alongside a regional board, Knowsley will be responsible for making sure all six councils are working properly with Job Centre Plus, the Department for Work and Pensions, Learning and Skills Council, Government Office Northwest and NWDA, as well as trade unions and voluntary sector. It is hoped this will put the region in the top bracket nationwide by 2010.

Knowsley was handed this responsibility after managing to eat into numbers on Incapacity Benefit and working with lone parents.

The Government also plans to extend a new test to all long-term recipients of Incapacity Benefit.

alanweston