'Secret jobless' could mask extent of unemployment

'Secret jobless' could mask extent of unemployment
Jobcentre officials have moved hundreds of thousands of unemployed people claiming jobless benefits on to a separate "training allowance" over the past year, raising concerns the Government is "massaging" figures to mask the true extent of unemployment.

The Sunday Telegraph can reveal that 218,700 jobseekers were taken off Jobseeker's Allowance and moved on to training payments of equal value in the year to September 2011, while attending job-hunting courses and classed as officially "employed".

Chris Grayling, the employment minister, vowed to crack down on the "disgraceful" practice after being approached by The Sunday Telegraph. Those put on the training allowance are sent on Government-backed training and employment schemes with third parties, which could include CV-writing workshops or basic maths lessons.

An average of 42,950 unemployed people were on a training scheme during any one month over the period, with each course typically lasting six weeks, the figures, obtained under Freedom of Information, reveal.

However, one Jobcentre employee, who wished to remain nameless, said the courses are generally "completely useless" and often did not result in finding work.

He said that many job candidates were far too qualified and experienced but were forced to join the schemes as Jobcentres had to be seen to be helping people back to work. The source added: "All these courses do is help reduce unemployment figures."

Mr Grayling blamed the last Labour government and pointed to a significant fall in those put on training allowance since last June.

I think the figures have more than just been massaged.

Always wondered whether to get the true unemployment figures do you have to multiply the official figures by 3 or 5, just like inflation.

Reply 1

SoulfulBoy

If I ever am jobless I will consider a job offer as TSR Mod. :cool:

Reply 2

Obfuscator

Just showcases the slippery greasy slime we have for a cabinet. They don't fix the problem, they just hide it. And when they're found out, they blame Labour. Whatever happened to actually good politics?

Doesn't surprise me.

Is this related to the Secret Nazi meme?

Reply 5

SunSunHemnilrat

Well. The easiest thing to do to get a better idea of true unemployment figure is to change the way it is measured from claimants counts to labour force surveys.

Reply 6

Blue & Red Lights

Original post by Obfuscator

We have had over a decade of Labour running this country, The tories have only been in government for two years, thats how we can bloody well blame effing labour

Reply 7

moonkatt

Original post by Obfuscator

There's good politics?

Reply 8

Skip_Snip

Original post by Blue & Red Lights

We have had over a decade of Labour running this country, The tories have only been in government for two years, thats how we can bloody well blame effing labour

So the Tories are so inefficient their two years have accomplished nothing but further unemployment?

Reply 9

Blue & Red Lights

Original post by Skip_Snip

So the Tories are so inefficient their two years have accomplished nothing but further unemployment?

You expect a quick fix in two years ? After what labour has managed to do (or screw up) in ten ?
Use your head please.

Reply 10

Bill_Gates

haha i love how people blame political parties for the natural booms & busts of an economy.

Reply 11

MancStudent098

Original post by Herr

Always wondered whether to get the true unemployment figures do you have to multiply the official figures by 3 or 5, just like inflation.

Look at the labour force survey, which is what most economists (and journalists) would use as an indicator of unemployment anyway. The claimant count has always been a very unreliable measure of those actually unemployed (a lot of people who are entitled don't claim). I suspect the point of this figure massaging was simply to make the jobcentres themselves look like they were doing a good job.

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 12

curtis871

An average of 42,950 unemployed people were on a training scheme during any one month over the period

That looks like The Sunday Telegraph are "massaging figures" now :tongue:

. Clearly the government doing it with those who should be counted in the unemployment figures and should be on jobseekers is wrong but some people on the training schemes are under 18 and get a different benefit because that. It also says "a training scheme" not all training schemes mean you move onto training payments so either they are again trying to mislead people or it's just written by a lazy journalist who should be more specific.

Reply 13

MagicNMedicine

Original post by Blue & Red Lights

We have had over a decade of Labour running this country, The tories have only been in government for two years, thats how we can bloody well blame effing labour

The point about this article is that it refers to a period of time specifically when the Coalition have been in government:

The Sunday Telegraph can reveal that 218,700 jobseekers were taken off Jobseeker's Allowance and moved on to training payments of equal value in the year to September 2011, while attending job-hunting courses and classed as officially "employed".

Mr Grayling blamed the last Labour government and pointed to a significant fall in those put on training allowance since last June.

Reply 14

Dekota-XS

RBS bosses get a multimillion pound salary at the expense of taxpayers. The unemployed get shoved away under the mat and get given false hope. Such is life.

Reply 15

Obfuscator

Original post by Blue & Red Lights

We have had over a decade of Labour running this country, The tories have only been in government for two years, thats how we can bloody well blame effing labour

I never actually said Labour politicians were any better at not being petty, partisan point-scoring pansies. The economic crisis isn't REALLY either party's fault: It was the banker's fault. I guarantee a conservative government would not have regulated the banks any more than Blair's government. In fact, looking at Thatcher's record, they would probably have try to deregulate them even more. I'm not a Labour supporter, but the 'It's all Labour's fault' argument is truly, truly pathetic. You have to see that?

Original post by moonkatt

There's good politics?

If you point some out to me, I'll happily agree with you

Reply 16

Martyn*

Whatever economic problems we go through, ultimately it is our own fault.

Reply 17

Sephiroth

I thought this was common knowledge already.

However, one Jobcentre employee, who wished to remain nameless, said the courses are generally "completely useless" and often did not result in finding work.

He said that many job candidates were far too qualified and experienced but were forced to join the schemes as Jobcentres had to be seen to be helping people back to work. The source added: "All these courses do is help reduce unemployment figures."

I'm glad someone on the inside agrees with me. The biggest con is what these useless courses cost the tax payer. It could be far better spent on increasing benefit payments to people on JSA so that they would have a better standard of living and not have to resort to mugging people or burglary.