Britain's unemployment at its highest

Mon Jan 31, 2011 3:10PM


The youth unemployment rate in some parts of Britain, such as North East, has reached its highest recorded level, the recent data gathered by GMB union shows.

According to the GMB union, the unemployment rate among people aged between 18 and 25 has hit a record high level of 37 percent.

Wales is on top of the highest unemployment list, with almost 23,000 claimants. According to the union, the national average of unemployment is 28 percent, which is 5 percent lower than the figures in Wales.

The GMT also revealed that in some parts of Wales the jobless rate is even higher than 33 percent, reaching the 37 percent level.

Paul Kenny, the GMB general secretary, said "in the UK there are nearly 400,000 young workers aged 18-24 claiming jobseeker's allowance. When you add to that number the rest of the young people not in jobs but seeking work the real number is more than double that figure.”

It is said that the number of young job seekers is almost one million which makes the young generation the real victims of the current recession in Britain.

Kenny also said “the Government is in denial that it is deliberately creating unemployment.”

This is while reports say almost 150,000 jobs are under threat across the country.