By Younger people in North East Lincolnshire hit hardest by unemployment, figures show
People in the “younger age groups” in North East Lincolnshire have been affected most by unemployment since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, a new report shows.
According to the Covid-19 Impact Assessment by NELC – which will be presented in a Council meeting today – unemployment in the borough has increased significantly since the start of the pandemic, with younger people being hit the hardest.
The report reads: “The pandemic had a great impact on unemployment in the borough. The greatest impact of the pandemic on unemployment figures has been in the younger age groups and youths.”
It states that figures for claimants of Universal Credit increased by 63 percent between December 2019 and December 2020 amongst people aged 18 to 24.
For the 25 to 49 age group, people claiming Universal Credit has risen by 61 percent.
The report continues: “This figure again shows that the greatest numbers of claimants are in the younger age groups aged between 16-29 and 30-39 while the lowest numbers of claimants are in the older age groups, 50-59 and 60 plus.
“Before the pandemic, claimant figures were consistently higher than that of the regional and national figures.
“However, as a result of the Covid-19 lockdown in early 2020, North East Lincolnshire’s figure increased significantly. The 2019 average for North East Lincolnshire stood at 4.3 percent and in 2020 North East Lincolnshire average increased and averaged 6.5 percent.”
The 2020 average for North East Lincolnshire is significantly higher than in the Yorkshire and Humber region – 5.6 percent – and the England average of 5.4 percent.
The report also states that in the East Marsh, West Marsh and Croft Baker wards, claimants increased even further towards the end of last year and in to 2021 – but puts it down to the Financial Resilience Score of the borough.
It continues: “Financial Resilience Scores within North East Lincolnshire, as a whole, are well below the national average. In North East Lincolnshire, 2,250 (64 percent) of postcodes within the area achieved Financial Resilience scores within the bottom two deciles, equivalent to the UK’s lowest levels of financial resilience.
“Poor financial resilience can lead to more universal credit claimants, homelessness, and large debt. East Marsh, Sidney Sussex, South and West Marsh wards had no postcodes achieving Financial Resilience Scores above the national average.”
