Fewer Protestants Unemployed Than Catholics

A new report has highlighted the denomination of those working in NI with the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister (OFMDFM) publishing figures today relating to religion analysis of the Labour Force Survey (LFS).

It has shown that, in 2010 the religious composition of the population of working age was found to be 53% Protestant and 47% Roman Catholic.

In 2010, the unemployment rate of Roman Catholics was 9% compared to 6% for Protestants.

Some 54% of those unemployed were Roman Catholic, compared to 46% Protestant and the unemployment differential between Roman Catholics and Protestants expressed as a ratio of unemployment rates was 1.4, that is, the unemployment rate of Roman Catholics was 1.4 times that of Protestants.

It also showed that, in comparison to the Roman Catholic population, the Protestant population has an older age profile with, for example, almost two in three people aged 60 or over being Protestant.

The economically active includes those in employment and those unemployed who were looking for work and available for work and found that Roman Catholics comprised 45% of the economically.

In 2010 the composition of those of working age who were economically inactive was 48% Protestant and 52% Roman Catholic and 45% of those in employment aged 16 and over were Roman Catholic compared to 55% Protestant.

The date showed that the proportions of working age Protestants in employment over the period 1992 to 2010 have been consistently higher than those of Roman Catholics.

However, the proportion of working age Roman Catholics in employment has risen from 54% in 1992 to 61% in 2010. The proportion of working age Protestants in employment in 2010 was 69% compared to 70% in 1992.

The unemployment rates of both Protestants and Roman Catholics have fallen over the period 1992 to 2010.

The Labour Force Survey is a sample survey conducted in all member states of the European Union.

Claim Benefits Call

Meanwhile, the East Belfast MLA Michael Copeland has urged people in receipt of State benefits to participate in the Benefit Uptake Programme for 2011/12 and to ensure they are receiving their full entitlement.

Mr Copeland, who is the Ulster Unionist Party's spokesperson on Social Development issues, said: "I continue to encourage all those citizens who have entitled to additional support through the benefits system to ensure that they are receiving their full lawful entitlement.

"In too many cases benefits aimed at the most vulnerable in society and the forms associated with them, are complex and difficult to understand. The benefits system is intended to assist the most vulnerable people in our society. The system needs to be redesigned to be user friendly and to deliver the financial aid where it is most required," he said, adding, "I welcome the fact that the Department for Social Development, in partnership with Advice NI, is targeting some 25,000 people who may be entitled to additional benefits such as Attendance Allowance, Carers Allowance and State Pension Credit, and offer them a full benefit assessment."

(BMcC/GK)