NI Dole Queue Lengthens

Figures released today showed another marked increase in unemployment benefit claimants over the last month and a shocking 75% rise in the Northern Ireland unemployment rate in the past year.

As unemployment rises, a decrease in Northern Ireland jobs was also recorded between September and December 2008.

The number of people claiming unemployment-related benefits increased by 3,000 during the month to 42,000 in February 2009.

This increase was similar to that recorded in the previous monthly period to January 2009 (+2,800).

The Northern Ireland percentage increase in February 2009 (+7.7%) was the second lowest of the UK regions and was lower than the equivalent increase for the whole of the UK (+11.0%).

However, the Northern Ireland increase over the year to February 2009 was 18,100 (+75.7%) and this was marginally higher in percentage terms than that recorded for the UK (+74.9%).

Nearly 80% of the annual increase in Northern Ireland claimants occurred in the last six months.

The February increase in the number of unemployed claimants was one of the highest of the last 12 months, second only to the monthly increase in November 2008.

The Northern Ireland seasonally adjusted unemployment rate1, as measured by the Labour Force Survey, was estimated at 5.7% for the period November 2008 to January 2009.

This represented an increase from the rate of 4.3% recorded in the previous quarter and was also higher than the rate of 4.4% recorded in the same period one year ago. However, the Northern Ireland unemployment rate remained below the UK average (6.5%) and was also lower than the European Union (7.4%) and Republic of Ireland (8.2%) rates for December 2008.

The seasonally adjusted number of working age persons that were economically inactive increased by an estimated 12,000 over the quarter and the corresponding working age economic inactivity rate increased to 27.8% (in November - January 2009).

The Northern Ireland inactivity rate remained considerably higher than the UK average rate (20.6%) and was the highest of the UK regions.

Seasonally adjusted estimates from the Quarterly Employment Survey showed that there were 710,920 employee jobs filled in December 2008. This represented an estimated net decrease of 5,370 over the quarter and a fall of 14,200 over the year.

The decrease over the quarter was driven by falls in Service sector (-2,220), Construction sector (-1,750) and Manufacturing sector jobs (-1,440).

Commenting on the figures, NI Enterprise Minister, Arlene Foster said: "The latest figures show a continuing rise in the levels of unemployment and economic inactivity. This was again disappointing, but not unexpected in the context of the global downturn. Most of the increases have occurred in the last six months and it is clear that employers are increasingly feeling the impact of the economic downturn.

"It is equally clear that there are no quick fixes available to turn around the global economy.

"The executive will continue to do what it can to assist businesses through this difficult period," she concluded.

See: Faltering Construction Trade Hits Mid Ulster Jobs

(BMcC/JM)