Introduction

I feature some views on the Unemployment situation News in the UK. We feature the latest on The U.K Unemployment News. The Youtube channel has a focus on UK Unemployment News with specially selected material

Tuesday 22 July 2014

Sanction advice

Here are some tips for anyone being sanctioned.
Firstly remember there is a right to an appeal. Appeals often have success
sanctions are multi layered and are set for different levels of time.
they can run together as well
Worth taking advice, even though you may be angry you have to be calm during a meeting with them.
Write everything down and keep hold of all paperwork so that you can take the matter as far as is needed.

Graduates have positive news


Graduate vacancies have changed recently as the recent reposts have indicated. The student loans situation has come under pressure and one of the questions has to be are the Graduates qualifying with the degrees that they employers are seeking?


or

What positions are the graduates taking

There has been a significant increase in the number of graduate vacancies in the UK but many employers are struggling to fill posts, a poll says.
The Association of Graduate Recruiters (AGR) predicted there would be 17% more graduate posts available in 2013-14.
However, its summer survey of 189 top employers found nearly a quarter had been unable to fill posts last year.
The government said the increase in graduate vacancies showed confidence in British business was growing.

Start Quote

Nearly a quarter of member have unfilled vacancies”
AGR survey
The twice-yearly survey of the top graduate recruiters, which runs from September to September and covers a wide range of businesses, suggests "significant recovery" in the graduate job market.
There will be an estimated 22,076 vacancies by September 2014.
It follows on from optimistic signals in the winter survey when a 10% increase in graduate posts was heralded.
It says: "This is good news but it doesn't mean the market has necessarily become easier for all employers and students.
"Nearly a quarter of members have unfilled vacancies. This means there is a mismatch in the graduate labour market between the supply of students and the demands of employers."
The report goes on to say the causes of "this dysfunction are complex", and it predicts the problem will grow because of a fall in the number of teenagers.
On wages, the median graduate starting salary has risen by £500 to £27,000 this year.
There is a £20.000 threshold on the Student loan

Changes in graduate job vacancies

  • 2007-08 Down 6.7%
  • 2008-09 Down 17.8%
  • 2009-10 Up 12.6%
  • 2010-11 Up 2.8%
  • 2011-12 Down 0.9%
  • 2012-13 Up 4.6%
  • 2013-14 Up 17%
The largest starting salaries are for investment bank or fund managers who can expect £42,000, according to the survey.
AGR chief executive Stephen Isherwood said: "The rise in vacancies and salaries shown in our summer report is fantastic news for graduates, and it is encouraging to see that employers are able to invest in graduate talent in this way.
"However, this doesn't mean the job market is easy.
"There are still unfilled graduate vacancies as employers are not always able to find the right people, with the right knowledge, skills and attitudes, for the job.
"Graduates must ensure they really do their research, target their applications and ensure their CVs do them justice if they want to be in with a good chance of securing a place on a graduate scheme following university."
A spokesman for the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills said: "This increase in the number of graduate vacancies is yet further demonstration of the growth in confidence of British businesses.
"There is an increasing number of students entering higher education, and evidence across the sector suggests that employers recruiting from university and higher education have found the large majority of graduates to be well or very well prepared for work."

Saturday 19 July 2014

Housing london-rent cap arrears-Benefit and work

Housing Benefit and the CAP rent is a political issue. If people find part time work. Brent is featured on this video along with the Immigration issue. This includes the Citizenship issue. Add this to the fact that London has the highest rent which means that if you cannot afford rent and working you can still be evicted. So potentially you can be working and still be moved to another area.
If you have a large family then London ceases to be cost effective.
The CAP is a National CAP.
60% of those capped are single parents.
The move from London is not popular. Is it the correct move..A difficult question. If all that is required is part time work then couples are less likely to have the child care issues.
The Grocer job isn't enough for a large family. Having to move out of the area.
The 0 hour contract may be another challenge. Certainly child care is also an issue . Affordability in the private sector is a major issue. and is likely to get worse. It is clear that Councils will have the issue of moving more and more families out of London. More offers being made out of London in areas like Birmingham and other cities. Additional to this is the demands on housing in these areas outside of London that have their limits.
Welfare Reform Teams have a tough hard job. DHP Discretionary Housing payments have their limits.  The larger the family the Bigger the challenge.Even in employment the challenge for the larger family remains. For the single parent there is a need for flexibility
Siyad SHARIF  is in work

Thursday 17 July 2014

Bedroom tax-An election battleground

This definatly looks like a change in position from the viewpoint of the Lib Dems and a possible key moment in the for a change in the direction of this particular policy
Nick Clegg will set the Lib Dems on a major collision course with the Tories over his plea to axe the hated Bedroom Tax.
The Deputy PM has finally agreed the crippling penalties are battering the poorest in society and will push for change before next year’s general election.

There have clearly been issues on the legal side with challenges.
But if Mr Clegg cannot persuade his heartless
Coalition partners the Bedroom Tax is a disastrous flop before Britain goes to the polls, he will make ditching it a Lib Dem manifesto pledge.


Wednesday 16 July 2014

Employment training and Geographical challenge

In the recent Mind the Gap: London vs The Rest it was identified that there was a significant Gap between the economies of London and the rest of the country
Education and skill base is seen as an issue for the U.K and takes planning.

When you look at the figures produced by the ONS and then reflect on the UK map they  produce the figures make interesting readng based on the overall

economic situation. Using your mouse you can highlight any area of the country and see the figures for the are represented from the Consensus. The qualifications and skills differ
Today's unemployment figures are continuing to encourage many They however do not take into consideration the number of hours that people are working. The rate of income increase sadly isnt reflecting the cost of living and the Unemployment figures do not allow for those on Universal Credit still, neither do they reflect the 0 hour contract that in many cases keeps employees under the Eu hours rules as well as reducing the options of overtime.. People working part time Youth Unemployment has been a challenge since the recession


Education and training is a key 25% of youth have lived at home. This months figures



If you look at the GVA the Gross Value Added per head in the regions with London being most GVA is higher. Education has an interesting report here


Tuesday 15 July 2014

Hidden story-timebomb

Well hidden in yesterdays news was the update on the so called" Bedroom Tax"
"Some 59% of tenants - more than 300,000 - affected by new "spare room subsidy" rules were in arrears five months after the changes came into effect last year"
This is surely a problem disaster area for the future. 
"The new interim report, carried out by the Cambridge Centre for Housing and Planning Research and Ipsos MORI, looked at the initial impact of the policy.
The report - the first official study into the change - found most people were paying by cutting back on household essentials, and a quarter had borrowed to pay their rent.
During the first five months, 41% of affected tenants had paid their additional rent in full but 59% were struggling - 39% had made some contribution to the additional rent but 20% had paid nothing at all."
Even with advice there is likely to be a shortage of accommodation for those needing to rent appropriate accommodation. There is also likely to be shortage in revenue for council and Housing association. With a potential issue for investment in infrustructure
Blame Tenants?
"The analysis for the DWP found that while many tenants hit by the cut had wanted to move, they had been unable to do so owing to the lack of smaller properties.
While 19% of tenants had registered to downsize, 4.5% had managed to do so within the first six months of the policy"
To set up and implement a policy there has to be the flexibility in resource to meet the demand. In this instance there is clearly not.
" David Orr, chief executive of the National Housing Federation, which campaigns for affordable housing, said the government's policy remained "flawed".
He said: "Time and time again it has been shown that the bedroom tax is pushing people into rent arrears and people have been unable to downsize because of a lack of smaller properties.
"Now the figures from the DWP prove it is not working, surely now it is time for the government to admit they got it wrong and repeal this ill-thought policy."
If the builders are saying this then the Government needs to review this prior to the next General election.
This is my argument that there is a ticking time bomb which can lead to more social issues in many cases out of the control of the claiment. Add this to the Universal Credit system and the country has a right to have some concerns