Young people &Employment

Young people in the labour market

The Youth have remained a challenge for a number of years. A "Lost Generation"

Today the stats were out.and additional information is available which can be provided

It is possible to look at more details in respect of Qualifications and Jobcentre plus claimant count per area or constituency. Add the additional factor that Universal Credit applies to many of the Youth.

Introduction

This section looks at people aged from 16 to 24. It is a common misconception that all people in full-time education are classified as economically inactive. This is not the case as people in full-time education are included in the employment estimates if they have a part-time job and are included in the unemployment estimates if they are seeking part-time work.

Commentary

For July to September 2016, for people aged from 16 to 24, there were:

• 3.91 million people in work (including 914,000 full-time students with part-time jobs)
• 591,000 unemployed people (including 194,000 full-time students looking for part-time work)
• 2.69 million economically inactive people, most of whom (2.06 million) were full-time students

Source: Labour Force Survey: Office for National Statistics

Notes:

1. FTE = Full-time education.
2. The "Not in full-time education" series includes people in part-time education and/or some form of training.

The Not in Full Time Education or Training is more commonly described as NEET

Quarterly and annual changes in the number of young people (aged 16 to 24) in the UK labour market, seasonally adjusted

Our Next graph  shows how the latest estimates, for July to September 2016, for employment, unemployment and economic inactivity for people aged from 16 to 24 compare with the previous quarter (April to June 2016) and the previous year (July to September 2015).

Websites for Welfare -Recruitment-Employment Resources

Welfare Reform and Job search support have been a passion of mine for many years. However for the first time I have decided to share some of the sites that I have developed over recent years. You will note a common themes amongst them

Job Search Agent  

Job Search Agent supports Job Seekers with their Registration & Job Alerts on Recruitment sites. The service provides a review option ensuring candidates maintain an interest in the vacancies being emailed to them

Welfare Support

Welfare Benefit Support

I undertook training with the CAB on Universal Credit and Social Security Law. I have had success as featured on recent posts in Appealing sanctions as well as Habitual Residency Test & Industrial Accident Benefits

Support.benefits2work.com

Support.benefits2work provides support for clients registering with research for Businesses based on ONS & DWP information and publication.

Christian Welfare Support

A series of pages with different areas of support that Churches and Christian fellowships may have an interest in. CAP, Foodbanks, Job Clubs, Welfare Benefits & Statistics. 

Benefits2work.com

Benefits2work.com is probably the domain that has featured the most over the years. A site that has been promoted and has its own Youtube and Facebook pages. It has its Content management system with the ability to post Jobs and carries posts from Welfare news for the last few years. Registration is free and information can be of use on many subjects.

IVS

IVS looks at the international aspect of Migrating workers arriving in the U.K.

The Focus on this site is supporting Graduate level Educated workers find suitable employment in the U.K The majority are I.T skilled clients.

It's received the financial  Go ahead this weekend to become an independent site. Working closely with Gabriel Elombah who is based in London 

Child Tax Credit (CTC) and Working Tax Credit (WTC) U.K vote facts and opinion

Child Tax Credit (CTC) and Working Tax Credit (WTC) 

Child Tax Credit (CTC) and Working Tax Credit (WTC) replaced Working Families’ Tax Credit, Disabled Person’s Tax Credit and Children’s Tax Credit in April 2003. CTC brings together income related support for children and for qualifying young people aged 16-19 who are in full time non-advanced education or approved training into a single tax credit, payable to the main carer. Families can claim whether or not the adults are in work.

WTC 

provides in work support for people on low incomes, with or without children. A family will normally be eligible for WTC if it contains one of the following:

• a single person who is responsible for a child or young person and works at least 16 hours a week
• a couple who are responsible for a child or young person, and who jointly work 24 hours or more per week (NB one adult must be working at least 16 hours)
• a person who is receiving or has recently received a qualifying sickness or disability related benefit and has a disability that puts them at a disadvantage of getting a job, and who works at least 16 hours per week
• a person is aged 60 or over and works at least 16 hours per week

If none of the above applies, then a person will still be eligible for WTC if they are aged 25 and over and work 30 hours or more a week. Tax credits are based on household circumstances and can be claimed jointly by members of a couple, or by singles. Entitlement is based on factors such as: age, income, hours worked, number and age of children, childcare costs and disabilities. MPs have backed government plans to cut spending on tax credits in the face of opposition from Labour and the SNP. The Commons approved plans to lower the earnings level above which tax credits are withdrawn from £6,420 to £3,850 and speed up the rate at which the benefit is lost as pay rises by 35 votes. Ministers say the move, estimated to save £4.4bn, is part of wider plans to raise pay and incentivise work.     Tax Credit applies to Working familes But Labour say it is an "ideological attack" on working families. The curbs on tax credits were announced in Chancellor George Osborne's post-election Budget in June. During a 90-minute debate in the Commons, the opposition claimed three million families face losing an average of £1,000 a year from next April. But ministers said the tax credit system had, for too long, been used to subsidise low pay and the changes would bring total expenditure on tax credits back down to more sustainable levels seen in 2007-8. 'Cynical' MPs backed a motion enacting the changes by 325 votes to 290.

Treasury minister Damian Hinds said eight out of 10 households would be better off by 2018-9 as a result of measures announced in the Budget to introduce a national living wage, further increase the personal tax allowance and extend childcare subsidies. "For too long in this country, low pay has been addressed not by genuine reform and driving productivity but by subsidising the tax credit system," he said. "The changes introduced in this order will build on the last parliament's reforms and return real-terms tax credit spending to the level it was in 2007-08 - a decade into the tenure into the government of the Labour Party." But Labour's Seema Malhotra said the changes were being "sneaked through the back door". "This is a political decision made by the chancellor that is set to see over three million families lose an average of £1,000 a year," the shadow Treasury minister said. "It is ideologically driven, it is cynical and it will directly increase levels of poverty in Britain." "It is part of an ongoing attack on the incomes of some of the most hard working families in our constituencies - those very strivers the chancellor purported to support."

Eligibility The calculator

Send tax credit renewal forms to HMRC’s Netherton office.

HM Revenue and Customs - Tax Credit Office

Comben HouseFarriers WayNethertonL75 1AXUnited Kingdom

Send changes of name or address, or complaints, to HMRC’s Preston office. Make it clear why you’re writing. For example, write ‘change of circumstances’ or ‘complaint’ at the top of your letter. You do not need to include a street name or PO box.

HM Revenue and Customs - Tax Credit Office

Preston PR1 4AT 
United Kingdom

Send new tax credits claims to HMRC’s Liverpool office. You do not need to include a street name or PO box.

HM Revenue and Customs - Tax Credit Office

Liverpool L75 1AZ
United Kingdom

Reality opinion

  Source

The challenge politically is that Working Families Tax Credit's keeps many families above the basic poverty line. For many the change will take families on low incomes into a poverty
With Utility costs rising above inflation and employers saying the market will not allow them to increase pay for staff the Tax Credit system has become a key solution. As the Tax credit system has an element connected to child care this will have to be factored into the decisions on Employment. This is likely to hit many families on lower incomes particularly the Younger families that will struggle

Jeremy Corbyn Welfare Reform

 Jeremy Corbyn has become the Labour party leader What is his track record prior to the General Election 2015? How will his leadership touch the lives of the Poor within the U.K? Jeremy is a North London M.P since 1983 as Islington North with an interest in Social issues.

 His former leader voted for it. Jeremy has made it clear his views on the Welfare Reform process as well as the Media. He points out that if Rent levels are capped then the Housing Benefit expenditure is reduced Jeremy points out that Child Poverty and Homelessness has increased in the last 5 years. He points out that there is a need for a fundamental change in direction over Welfare 

Jeremy responds to the Budget 

Jeremy Highlights Osbourne's Welfare Bill issue. As he rightly points out there are many countries that have no Welfare for their citizens. Jeremy seeks a budget where the plan is to eliminate austerities Jeremy regarding the last Budget as an attack on young people

 He commented on the 3 child policy which he feels is an attack on young people

 " What is is that the Conservative Party have got against the Young people of this country" 2/3 of Lindoners on Tax Credits are working He points out that much of the money involved in the Benefit cap goes into Private Landlords hands. The low income subsidies like Tax Credit's are often handed out due to low wages paid by employers.

From the Unemployed viewpoint-

There is more likely to be more of a defence of the poorest in society. The responce to the budget makes that clear.

Under Labour at the first test of the Bill M.P's were invited to vote alongside the Conservatives. Jeremy voted against. Indeed the media have made it clear that he was and isnt popular amongst the career politicians. Many of these politicians on the Shadow cabinet resigned despite the clear mandate that Jeremy was provided. 

I like many seek a different form of politics. Not the M.P's who are trained by their party in what they should say and those that just toe the party line.....But those that like Jeremy who engage and listen to their constituents and stand up for the belief rather than the 

Unemployment stats June 2015

Information on images taken from Research Breifing Universal Credit stats are now appearing in research document pdf file. Sadly ONS has stopped producing some of the information as they used to in their easily digestable format. The 18-24 group information now takes more research but the stats are available for all areas for those that are keen to obtain this       The ONS used to produce a video each month however the figures are still available in this picture format. One area that I have noticed is that the area of the NEET group is no longer highlighted   Researched by John FairestAIEP    

The employment rate in the United Kingdom, for the 3 months ending April 2015, was highest in the South West (77.3%) and lowest in Northern Ireland (68.4%). The employment rate estimates are showing a mix of increases and decreases across the regions and countries of the UK.

• The unemployment rate in the United Kingdom, for the 3 months ending April 2015, was highest in the North East (7.4%) and lowest in the South East (4.1%). All regions are showing decreases in the unemployment rate compared with a year ago.

• The inactivity rate in the United Kingdom, for the 3 months ending April 2015, was highest in Northern Ireland (27.0%) and lowest in the South West (19.2%). A year ago, the lowest inactivity rate in the UK was in the South East (19.7%).

• The Claimant Count rate in the United Kingdom, for May 2015, was highest in Northern Ireland (4.8%) and lowest in the South East (1.2%). The Claimant Count for May 2015 compared with April 2015, is showing decreases or no change in the count across all regions of the UK, except the North West, for men, and the North West and Wales, for women.

• The largest increase in workforce jobs, in the United Kingdom, for the 3 month period ending March 2015, was in the West Midlands, at 40,000. The largest decrease was in the South East, at 32,000.

• The highest proportion of workforce jobs in the service sector was in London, at 91.7%, which is a decrease of 0.2 percentage points from the previous quarter. The East Midlands had the highest proportion of jobs in the production sector, at 13.8%, which has increased by 0.2 percentage points from the previous quarter.

• The highest average actual weekly hours worked, for the twelve months ending December 2014, were in London, at 33.6 hours and lowest in the South West, at 31.2 hours. For full time workers, it was highest in London, at 38.3 hours and for part time workers it was highest in Northern Ireland, at 17.8 hours.

Pip-for Job seekers

PIP or Personal Income Protection when there is a need

When someone finds themselves in a fragile past of the economy e.g Part time work, Self Employment or zero hour contract there is a stronger possibility that they may come into contact with the Department of Work and Pensions. At this point there is little protection. There are few ways that an individual can financially protect themselves against loss of income or plan for any form of Welfare Support protection.

Why would they need any form of protection?

We only have to look at the statistics and historical background to the U.K Welfare Benefit Sanctions system administered by DWP to see that there are strong possibilities that an individual and their family could easily be sanctioned and lose income for a period of 3 months. This may be replace by some form of hardship payment.
However reality is that the revision of the Welfare Benefit Act during this parliament has not led to the provision of any support for those on the lower income employment seeker

The normal recommendation for anyone in this situation is to seek advice from the Citizens Advice Bureau. and seek food from a local Food Bank

Little provision is allowed for the planning of a volatile economy of the zero hour contract.
Our economy hasn't moved

Whether the history of PIP , the Personal protection plans it is not suprising that the Insurance companies would be wary of providing any form of plan for eventualities on the loss of work.

There are however few options for the provision of support for redundant employees.
Or the employees that are unsure whether they are working from one day to the other. DWP systems have failed to update their systems for the changing working world.

How could this be resolved

Insurance Companies

Insurance companies have a marketing opportunity here.

• The Provision of policies against the imposition of a Sanction.
• Cover during sanction periods for those that have proven history of employment.
• Provision of job search support for job seekers with proven employment history

DWP Jobcentreplus

DWP Job Matching services have opportunities to treat claimants as clients. Searching for work providing training as required on aspects of Social media job search.

To Provide an 8:00am-8pm call centre or online chat options. 

Thus far there are no services and DWP do not use Twitter as a method of communications.

Whilst Job Match has the options of making contact with their adviser 

However making contact with them regarding appointments is undertaken through a call centre.

Add caption

For many of these reasons including cut backs within the department there are some real possibilities for out sourcing some real support to job seekers that are likely to return to work in the current climate

The options could and should be extended to 0 hour contract job seekers who's employment situation no longer connects well with the fortnightly Job seeker.

Sanctions -delays-Food banks-U.K

As I read the article below I was struck by the key issue that Food is a vital need within our society and so much more so than during the winter.

The timing of the article / report being made public just prior to Christmas and the winter period I feel is no suprise.

I Have highlighed key comments and my own comments have been added in italics

"An income squeeze, benefit delays and excessive utility bills are blamed by a cross-party group of MPs for a huge rise in the use of food banks.

The inquiry, by Conservative and Labour MPs and church leaders, says many families are one unexpected bill away from financial crisis.

They urge quicker benefit payments, the extension of free school meals and a living wage to reduce hunger.

Ministers called the report a serious contribution to an important debate.

The all-party parliamentary inquiry into hunger in the UK was set up to understand the extent and spread of hunger, food poverty and to investigate its underlying causes.

Continue reading the main story

“Start Quote

Too many people... face the choice of putting money in the gas meter or food on the table”

Hunger and Food Poverty report

The inquiry found it difficult to calculate the exact number of food banks in the UK as so many are independent and run by individual groups.

But it did ascertain the number of Trussell Trust food banks has grown from a handful to 420 in the past 10 years. And it heard suggestions there may be at least as many food banks operating independently.

The growth in food bank use is mirrored across Europe and the US, the report said.

It acknowledged UK families on low incomes "have been hit disproportionately hard" by rising living costs and this has eroded the value of their income.

"Too many people living in low-income households often face the choice of putting money in the gas meter or food on the table," it said.

"In addition, they face in many cases a premium on the basic goods and services they buy."

Severe hardship

The report stressed "benefit delays have been a key reason" for people turning to food banks.

It heard much evidence that lengthy delays in the administration and receipt of benefit payments have caused severe hardship for new claimants."

These delays are an issue for many hard working Job seekers and indeed those on low incomes including those on zero hour contracts and part timers

"It concluded: "Benefit-related problems were the single biggest reason given for food bank referrals by almost every food bank that presented evidence to us.

Continue reading the main story

Hunger in the UK

4 million

people at risk of going hungry

272

food banks across big cities and towns

• 500,000 children live in families that can't afford to feed them
• 3.5 million adults cannot afford to eat properly

Source: All-Party Parliamentary Inquiry into Hunger in the UK, Poverty and Social Exclusion project

Getty Images

"The inquiry is concerned that there are avoidable problems occurring in the administration of social security benefits, which have a particularly detrimental impact on poor and vulnerable claimants."

RICHMOND'S FOOD BANK USERS

• Benefit delays 26%
• Benefit changes 14%
• Low income 15%
• Debt 11%
• Domestic violence 13%
• Homeless 8%
• Sickness 4%
• Unemployment 4%
• Other 5%

Source: Richmond Food Bank

Why are there problems with the administration of the Welfare benefits?

These delays are likely to be on new claiments

It heard the Department for Work and Pensions does not currently collect information on the time taken for benefit payments to be made and said some people were waiting up to 16 weeks for a claim.

This is a 4 mnth delay of which those claiming may well be entitled to payments. Ad that to the issue that such payments may not be entitled to back payment but may be new claiments, How many of us could survive without any money for this length of time

'Too long to survive'

The department measures the average number of days taken between an application and a decision being made on a claim.

"Whilst the department aims for this process to be concluded within 16 days, we heard that for some claimants even this length of time is too long to survive without money," it said.

This is 16 working days therefore over 3 weeks

The authors want benefits to be delivered within five days of a legitimate claim and for more discretionary payments to be made when delays occur.

They also highlight the impact of high utility bills and say the poorest often pay for gas and electricity through prepayment meters, face higher energy costs and are unable to get the best deals.

They also looked at hunger in schools, with some schools estimating up to a quarter of pupils arrive hungry each morning.

While low parental income is an important factor, children often go hungry because of lack of organisation at home, they added.

They want free school meals to be extended to more children of low-income parents and for a campaign to decrease the number of children arriving at school hungry.

The MPs also recommend a national organisation be set up to end the destruction of edible food and ensure more of this goes to those who need it.

On Sunday, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, backed the report, saying more help was needed to prevent families in the UK going hungry.

He said food was being wasted in "astonishing" amounts while hunger "stalks large parts" of the country.

The archbishop said he was left more shocked by the plight of the UK's hunger-stricken poor than those suffering in African refugee camps, because it was so unexpected.

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said benefits sanctions - for infractions such as missing interviews or failing to take part in a work-related activity - were partly to blame and should not always be imposed "overnight".

Reality is Mr Clegg they are are regularly applied and the over turning procedure takes longer than it should. They are not used as a last resort they are used as a first resort what ever the circumstance.

He told the BBC's Andrew Marr Show: "Whilst it is of course necessary to have sanctions in the benefit system, I think we should introduce a sort of traffic light system so that some of the sanctions are not imposed quite as 'overnight' as they sometimes are.

"That might help alleviate some of the problem."

'Safety net'

A government spokesman welcomed the report's recognition that the reasons behind demands for emergency food assistance were "complex".

"As a country we have enough food to go around, and we agree that it is wrong that anyone should go hungry at the same time as surplus food is going to waste.

"There is a moral argument as well as a sustainability one to ensure we make the best use of resources.

FOOD BANK FAVOURITES

• Milk - UHT or powdered
• Sugar (500g)
• Fruit juice (carton)
• Soup
• Pasta sauces
• Sponge pudding (tinned)
• Tomatoes (tinned)
• Cereals
• Rice pudding (tinned)
• Tea Bags/instant coffee
• Instant mash potato
• Rice/pasta
• Tinned meat/fish
• Tinned fruit
• Jam
• Biscuits or snack bars

The spokesman said it was important to remember "this country has been through the deepest recession in living memory, and sticking to this government's long-term economic plan is the best way to improve living standards".

He said the plan was working and the economy growing while the welfare system provided a vital safety net.

"In addition, the UK has a proud tradition of civil society and faith groups providing support for people in need, and it is right that their impressive work is recognised in the report.

"Under tough circumstances, communities have shown that by pulling together to help each other, we can build a bigger, stronger society." "

Benefits and welfare and the real situation

The Welfare challenge

The Institute for Fiscal Studies says"



Working-age benefit spending has always been sensitive to the unemployment rate. But the rapid growth of housing benefit and tax credits over the couple of decades (documented in thisbriefing note published today) means that slow earnings growth now has the potential to push up spending too. Much of the hoped-for savings from the introduction of ESA have failed to materialise, and it is an open question whether the personal independence payment will be any different. Mr Osborne wants further cuts to social security spending to help reduce the deficit. He may end up having to make cuts just to stay on track."

The gov .uk Stats for your area-
Benefit stats

The BBC quote the Institute of Fiscal studies

Explaining why spending had in fact reduced by £2.5bn in real terms, it said:

• All of the £5bn rise in the cost of pensioner benefits could be explained by the rising cost of state pensions. It said this was partly down to the ageing population, but also the "more generous" entitlements of a new generation of pensioners who had recently retired
• There had been an "unanticipated" rise in housing benefit spending of £1bn, despite cuts of £2bn, which was down to the growth of the private rental sector, rising rents and slow earnings growth
• This slower earnings growth meant spending on tax credits had not come down as quickly as expected, reducing costs by less than £3bn compared with a forecast saving of £4.6bn
• "Significant delays" in the replacement of disability living allowance with the "less generous" personal independence payment had led to a £1.6bn increase in spending, rather than a £1.2bn cut
• Switching from the Retail Prices Index to the Consumer Prices Index measure of inflation for up-rating benefits had not saved the expected £4bn

Note the challenge of the Tax Credit - this will become the Universal Credit in due cource. The slow earnings growth has made a difference

Many may agree with Edd Balls and Rachel Reeves. They wrote: "A key cause of the Tories' overspending is their failure to make the economy work for working people, leaving thousands more reliant on housing benefit."

So how are the Welfare Reform changes affecting people

The changes to council tax benefit have also hit Blackpool particularly hard, as the council decided to pass on most of the 10% shortfall in government grant to its residents.

Mike Clague, a former RAF chef whose 19th floor flat has such a spectacular view, is having to find £15 a month extra.

"It doesn't sound much," he says. "But on top of all the other bills, it's a lot."

Ann Morris gives out school uniforms to those who cannot afford them

He has had to cut back on food as a result. Chocolate has become a once-a-week treat.

In Blackpool even those on jobseeker's allowance (JSA) have to find an extra £206 a year.

Many people have not yet paid anything.

"We recently had a huge influx of clients for non-payment of that money," says Julia Hannaford of Blackpool Citizens Advice.

"In one week we saw 40 people."

For those that are paying, the extra outgoings have stretched household budgets. Half the council tenants in Blackpool are behind with their rent.

In two or three cases, the local housing association has now obtained suspended possession orders, the first stage in the eviction process.

Sanctions

Elsewhere in the North West there are already some striking memorials to the first six months of the benefits changes: the houses that no one wants.

In Sefton, on an estate once known as Beirut, there are roads where dozens of people have moved out.

One resident of Daley Road points out 10 empty houses in her street.

One of the empty houses in Daley Road

"They don't even bother to board them up anymore," she tells me.

"It's all because of the bedroom tax. Nobody wants a three bedroom place anymore."

On this part of Merseyside, community workers also report that, since April, more people are having their benefits temporarily stopped.

JSA claimants, for example, now have to prove that they are job hunting, by applying online.

But not all are computer literate.

Ann Morris, a development worker in Litherland, says that as a result many parents can no longer afford to buy school uniforms.

She and her colleagues have set up a uniform bank to help.

"They all want their kids to go back to school with new uniforms. But some have benefit sanctions, so they just don't have the money," she says.

Continue reading the main story

“Start Quote

I never thought I'd see the day that we'd all get in and share a bath. A treat is getting in the bath first.”

Carol WilsonBenefit claimant

'Blind Scouse'

Carol Wilson, a carer from the Tuebrook area of Liverpool, was herself sanctioned earlier in the year.

She lost one week's Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), as a result of being in hospital.

Since April she has also had to find £80 a month as a result of having a spare room, and £9 a month extra for council tax.

Along with all claimants, she has also been affected by the 1% cap on annual benefits increases.

She, her partner, and her son now share their bath-water to try to economise.

"I never thought I'd see the day that we'd all get in and share a bath. A treat is getting in the bath first."

And she stretches a pot of stew, known as scouse, so that it lasts for three days.

"You just add potatoes each day. When the meat runs out, it's known as "blind scouse".

Blind scouse is certainly making a comeback in Liverpool at the moment, she says.

Coping

All along the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has insisted that the changes are not about saving money, but about encouraging more people into work.

Indeed since claimants were warned about the cap on total benefits back in April, the DWP says more than 15,000 have been helped to find jobs.

"Since April we have made great strides delivering our reforms," a DWP spokesman told the BBC.

"The rollout of universal credit and personal independence payments have begun, reforms to housing benefit are making the system fairer and the benefit cap is now in place across the country."

The government also says it has cut income tax for 25 million people, saving a typical taxpayer £700 a year.

It claims the typical household will also save £600 as a result of council tax being frozen for five years.

And even among those hit by benefit cuts, there are those who support the principles of the reforms.

"I do think it's right that people should be in work if they can be," says Carol Wilson.

"And I don't think being on benefits should be too comfortable.

"Whilst I would like more, the country is in a crisis. And I cope with what I have," she says.

The Welfare Reform

This is the reality watch the video to hear the truth!!!