LONG TERM unemployment in Liverpool has risen by almost a third in just less than three years, sparking worries about how Merseyside is coping in the worldwide recession.

While some areas in the UK, particularly in the south, are bouncing back to the levels of prosperity enjoyed until late 2007, Liverpool’s recovery is starting to look sluggish.

Last month’s Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR), which saw Chancellor George Osborne announce a raft of spending cuts aimed at driving down Britain’s deficit, have added to concerns about Liverpool’s ability to recover.

Councillor Nick Small, Liverpool city council’s cabinet member for employment and skills, said: “I’m concerned about some of the economic policies being undertaken by this coalition government.

“Cutting benefits and the Future Jobs Fund is going to damage Liverpool’s recovery.

“We are telling the government they are going down the wrong route, and we are trying to mitigate the impact of the cuts with plans to help the long term unemployed and young people, who benefit from our Liverpool Apprentice Scheme.”

Since January 2008, the number of people across the country claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance for at least a year.

In Liverpool there were 4,760 people claiming JSA who have not worked for more than a year, a rise of almost a third, according to trade union leaders. The TUC released the figures ahead of new employment figures due out later today. They warned the number of people out of work for a significant amount of time is likely to rise as the full extent of the cuts takes hold.