Numbers of unemployed in the Barnet borough rises against national trend (From Times Series)

Numbers of unemployed in the Barnet borough rises against national trend

10:50am Thursday 18th March 2010 in

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UNEMPLOYMENT figures in the borough bucked the national trend and have in fact worsened, according to latest statistics.

Across Barnet, the number of people claiming unemployment benefit rose by 3.1 per cent between January and February, in contrast to a small fall in the numbers of people registering nationally.

The figures released by the Office of National statistics show 7,332 people are claiming Job Seekers allowance in the borough, up more than 200 in a month.

Only four of the 21 wards in the borough saw a fall in the number of people claiming unemployment benefit, which included two fewer people in East Barnet, four fewer in Coppetts, six fewer in Woodhouse and 12 fewer in East Finchley.

Childs Hill saw the largest increase, with almost 40 more people signing on in February.

The seven wards that make up the Hendon constituency totalled the largest number of unemployed people (2,834) and also recorded the largest monthly increase of 4.2 per cent.

Overall figures show, compared to February last year, there are almost 1,500 more people unemployed in the borough, an increase of 22.7 per cent, with only three wards seeing single figure percentage rises.

Tory Councillor Lynne Hillan, leader of Barnet Council, admitted the borough continues to be “badly affected” by the recession and said the young “are suffering most” after figures showed youth unemployment was about 100 people higher than in 1997.

The national fall in unemployment has been welcomed by business experts, although they highlighted that the number of people actually in work continued to fall.

Ian McCafferty, CBI chief economic adviser, said that news was “a concern” and added: “Clearly, the labour market is still very fragile.”