Rise in number of people claiming jobseeker's allowance

THE number of people out of work and claiming jobseeker’s allowance has risen for the first time since February last year.

Latest figures from the Office of National Statistics for December show there are 6,562 claimants in Oxfordshire, a rise of 115 on the previous month and the highest total since September.

But year on year figures show the number of people signing on fell by 1,049.

Nationally, numbers claiming jobseeker's allowance fell by 12,100 last month to 1.56 million, the lowest since June 2011.

Total UK unemployment fell by 37,000 in the latest quarter to just under 2.5 million, the lowest since spring 2011 with a record number — almost 30 million — adults in a job, up by 500,000 on the same time a year earlier.

Comments(35)

Lord Palmerstone says...
4:12pm Wed 23 Jan 13

"there are 6,562 claimants in Oxfordshire"
Poor souls; couldn't manage to get the jobs that the Poles and Russian language inhabitants of the Baltic states managed to get. Still, that's the glory of comprehensive schools. They give you an excellent grounding in being unable to get an unskilled job.

AylesburyOx says...
4:26pm Wed 23 Jan 13

Lord Palmerstone wrote:
"there are 6,562 claimants in Oxfordshire"
Poor souls; couldn't manage to get the jobs that the Poles and Russian language inhabitants of the Baltic states managed to get. Still, that's the glory of comprehensive schools. They give you an excellent grounding in being unable to get an unskilled job.
If in doubt blame the Eastern Europeans.
It couldn't possibly have anything to do with the government changing DLA (Disability Living Allowance) to ESA (Employment Support Allowance), which if people don't meet the very strict criteria of (If you have arms, legs and a head the you can work) then they get put on to JSA?

xjohnx says...
7:39pm Wed 23 Jan 13

The point is that the many jobs are there for people who are willing to be flexable.

Speaking from personal experience, I know many UK jobseekers are being too picky.

Disabled people have always worked for a living, we all know of blind workers, wheelchair workers etc. Why should the disabled not be paid to look for work as well as the able. Disabled citizen are equal and should be treated thus!

Good god! we hav just had the disabled olympics.

Grunden Skip says...
7:49pm Wed 23 Jan 13

xjohnx wrote:
The point is that the many jobs are there for people who are willing to be flexable.

Speaking from personal experience, I know many UK jobseekers are being too picky.

Disabled people have always worked for a living, we all know of blind workers, wheelchair workers etc. Why should the disabled not be paid to look for work as well as the able. Disabled citizen are equal and should be treated thus!

Good god! we hav just had the disabled olympics.
The whole thing just flew over your head sadly, xjohnx

Pjthompson says...
8:50pm Wed 23 Jan 13

Out of the ark Aylesburyox.. Whatever happened to Equality & Diversity ... .? There are just as many UK citizens working in countries like Poland and Russia ...! As for ESA and DLA claimants why shouldn't there be an opportunity for them to look for paid work and jobs that they "can do" rather than concentrate on what they are unable to do.... That's why there are things like the Permitted Work rules to try and get support and help them work towards working 16 hours plus also there are the Access to Work Schemes and Reasonable Adjustments that can help and keep supporting people... DLA is not means tested .. Remember this Work Programme was set up by the previous Labour Government and a legacy handed over to the current coalition government.... People forget that all too quickly...

AylesburyOx says...
9:23pm Wed 23 Jan 13

Pjthompson wrote:
Out of the ark Aylesburyox.. Whatever happened to Equality & Diversity ... .? There are just as many UK citizens working in countries like Poland and Russia ...! As for ESA and DLA claimants why shouldn't there be an opportunity for them to look for paid work and jobs that they "can do" rather than concentrate on what they are unable to do.... That's why there are things like the Permitted Work rules to try and get support and help them work towards working 16 hours plus also there are the Access to Work Schemes and Reasonable Adjustments that can help and keep supporting people... DLA is not means tested .. Remember this Work Programme was set up by the previous Labour Government and a legacy handed over to the current coalition government.... People forget that all too quickly...
Not entirely sure why this is directed at me as that was my original point?

Pjthompson says...
9:47pm Wed 23 Jan 13

Exactly I am agreeing with you ..lord palmerstone is just wrong on so many levels... I work on the work programme and things are getting more difficult agreed and his reference to comprehensive schools and the education system doesn't ring true .. Horses for courses as they say..!

Feelingsmatter says...
9:56pm Wed 23 Jan 13

Pjthompson wrote:
Out of the ark Aylesburyox.. Whatever happened to Equality & Diversity ... .? There are just as many UK citizens working in countries like Poland and Russia ...! As for ESA and DLA claimants why shouldn't there be an opportunity for them to look for paid work and jobs that they "can do" rather than concentrate on what they are unable to do.... That's why there are things like the Permitted Work rules to try and get support and help them work towards working 16 hours plus also there are the Access to Work Schemes and Reasonable Adjustments that can help and keep supporting people... DLA is not means tested .. Remember this Work Programme was set up by the previous Labour Government and a legacy handed over to the current coalition government.... People forget that all too quickly...
DLA may not be means tested, but if, like my son, you have paranoid schizophrenia, you still won't get it. So now I am supporting him, and his chronically ill sibling who is 17. They both have to pay for their own prescriptions (Almost £80 and £16 a month respectively). The benefit system does not work!

Pjthompson says...
10:33pm Wed 23 Jan 13

You need to contact CAB or refer yourself to Oxfordshire MIND and or Oxfordshire welfare rights to get them to appeal for you.. It works but takes time but it does get backdated from the day you complete the forms and submitt another application... You can also get help with meds prescriptions look on direct.gov

xjohnx says...
6:47am Thu 24 Jan 13

Grunden Skip wrote:
xjohnx wrote:
The point is that the many jobs are there for people who are willing to be flexable.

Speaking from personal experience, I know many UK jobseekers are being too picky.

Disabled people have always worked for a living, we all know of blind workers, wheelchair workers etc. Why should the disabled not be paid to look for work as well as the able. Disabled citizen are equal and should be treated thus!

Good god! we hav just had the disabled olympics.
The whole thing just flew over your head sadly, xjohnx
Do you have a valid point of view to make???

Or are you just trying to stop others commenting????

Lord Palmerstone says...
7:34am Thu 24 Jan 13

I don't "blame" immigrants. They are just more motivated and better educated than the English lumpenproletariat or that part of it which will not work.
And of course there aren't an equal number of Brits working in Baltic countries and Poland-don't know where Russia came from- that proposition is just extremely daft.
And able bodied young men can get DLA for having ADHD whatever that may be-it certainly doesn't stop them stealing your car ,

PT1 says...
8:53am Thu 24 Jan 13

I work in recruitment and there are so many people that say they are desperate for work but are far too picky, won't be flexible. So many people that have their head so far up their back side that they won't take a pay cut from their prevous job no matter how long ago it was since they last worked.

There are jobs out there for the people that actually want to work, too many lazy work shy unemployed thast would rather claim their benefits than work for a living.

Everyone complains about the eastern europeans, but most of the time they are more reliable and eager to work than our own!! The excuse is out of date...

If you want to work then you will get off your back side and get out there...Don't be so picky and you will find work within 28 days. If you don't then your not trying hard enough!! I've seen it first hand!

riman09 says...
9:38am Thu 24 Jan 13

Knowing many professionals who have been let go in the local government sector, from the NHS, education, housing and many other industries, many are classed as 'employed' by virtue of being above the benefits threshold.

They also are asked to go into 'self-employment', where they hardly can get 10 hours work a week! So, if the truth be told, there is an official effort to massage the figures so these feckless Tories look good.

You only need to go out into the world and visit the C.A.B. to see how dire the situation is getting. Unfortunately, it is deteriorating by the day.

As for being picky, I know too many recruiting agents that will lie they have these jobs on offer. You put in a CV, they call you once, and then they do not come back to you ever. I know of some that will receive your CV, then call to ask what you have been doing!

How did these get their jobs anyhow?

oafie says...
11:54am Thu 24 Jan 13

Perhaps they have the right attributes to work in recruitment, and oh yes don't they lead you up the garden path!

Andrew:Oxford says...
1:09pm Thu 24 Jan 13

Feelingsmatter wrote:
Pjthompson wrote:
Out of the ark Aylesburyox.. Whatever happened to Equality & Diversity ... .? There are just as many UK citizens working in countries like Poland and Russia ...! As for ESA and DLA claimants why shouldn't there be an opportunity for them to look for paid work and jobs that they "can do" rather than concentrate on what they are unable to do.... That's why there are things like the Permitted Work rules to try and get support and help them work towards working 16 hours plus also there are the Access to Work Schemes and Reasonable Adjustments that can help and keep supporting people... DLA is not means tested .. Remember this Work Programme was set up by the previous Labour Government and a legacy handed over to the current coalition government.... People forget that all too quickly...
DLA may not be means tested, but if, like my son, you have paranoid schizophrenia, you still won't get it. So now I am supporting him, and his chronically ill sibling who is 17. They both have to pay for their own prescriptions (Almost £80 and £16 a month respectively). The benefit system does not work!
Are you not entitled to buy a PPC? An annual payment is not much more than what your eldest is paying in a month.

If not, they may be better off moving to Scotland or Wales where prescriptions are free.

Feelingsmatter says...
3:03pm Thu 24 Jan 13

Thank you for your advice. I have bought PPCs for both today, at a cost of £220, but it will save a huge amount of money.

PT1 says...
4:54pm Thu 24 Jan 13

riman09 wrote:
Knowing many professionals who have been let go in the local government sector, from the NHS, education, housing and many other industries, many are classed as 'employed' by virtue of being above the benefits threshold. They also are asked to go into 'self-employment', where they hardly can get 10 hours work a week! So, if the truth be told, there is an official effort to massage the figures so these feckless Tories look good. You only need to go out into the world and visit the C.A.B. to see how dire the situation is getting. Unfortunately, it is deteriorating by the day. As for being picky, I know too many recruiting agents that will lie they have these jobs on offer. You put in a CV, they call you once, and then they do not come back to you ever. I know of some that will receive your CV, then call to ask what you have been doing! How did these get their jobs anyhow?
That's a nice stereotype of a recruitment consultant. Not all are like that I can assure you, typically someone will send in their CV. I will arrange to get them in to register, then after completing all of their referencing and making sure they are legal to work in the UK they don't answer the phone or bother to call back. This then happens over and over so then what do you expect I do?...

So many people think the world owe's them something, if you want to work then it's out there. All you have to do is get off your back side and look for it. By submitting a CV to a company it doesn't then mean the company are abliged to call you back, why not give them a follow up call and make it at least look like your interested and not just wanting to confirm to the Job Centre that you have attempted to look for work to make sure you are eligable for your JSA...

riman09 says...
5:07pm Thu 24 Jan 13

PT1, you are stereotyping too! The scenario you give is not the type experience by the many I meet in my various 'hats'.

I have seen a lot in my decades of doing this sort of thing. If you have submitted a CV with all the relevant bits, written a cover letter that they assess to be 'commendable', and yet never get an invite for an interview, why do you assume they have no right to work? Has it anything to do with the surnames you see being anything but English?

You display your prejudice right there.

AylesburyOx says...
5:51pm Thu 24 Jan 13

riman09 wrote:
PT1, you are stereotyping too! The scenario you give is not the type experience by the many I meet in my various 'hats'.

I have seen a lot in my decades of doing this sort of thing. If you have submitted a CV with all the relevant bits, written a cover letter that they assess to be 'commendable', and yet never get an invite for an interview, why do you assume they have no right to work? Has it anything to do with the surnames you see being anything but English?

You display your prejudice right there.
I don't think he does. If a company has hired a Recruitment company to fill vacancies for it then they will expect all relevant checks to have been done, otherwise the company will face huge fines if it's discovered that some of their workforce has no right to work in the UK. Right to work questions are standard practice and you'll find them on any application form.
However my tolerance for recruitment firms doesn't stretch all that far and as far as I'm concerned, if you can find a job directly then go that route. Businesses give Recruiters more power than they deserve and people wishing to sign up with an agency should always ask questions first before registering.

Grunden Skip says...
7:41pm Thu 24 Jan 13

Pjthompson wrote:
Out of the ark Aylesburyox.. Whatever happened to Equality & Diversity ... .? There are just as many UK citizens working in countries like Poland and Russia ...! As for ESA and DLA claimants why shouldn't there be an opportunity for them to look for paid work and jobs that they "can do" rather than concentrate on what they are unable to do.... That's why there are things like the Permitted Work rules to try and get support and help them work towards working 16 hours plus also there are the Access to Work Schemes and Reasonable Adjustments that can help and keep supporting people... DLA is not means tested .. Remember this Work Programme was set up by the previous Labour Government and a legacy handed over to the current coalition government.... People forget that all too quickly...
Yes, but the UK citizens working in the poor European countries support themselves. The poor Europeans that come here work for minimum wage and get their rent paid by Housing Benefit. That is the difference. I would love to go and work in Spain, but the Spanish Government (or any other EU) will not pay my rent for me. We British are soooo stooopid. Just ask any Romanian or Bulgarian in the queue for when the conveyor belt starts rolling later this year.

alu355 says...
8:57am Fri 25 Jan 13

I put an advert for a builder required in the local paper.

Romanian person answered - £75 a day
British person wanted 'a minimum of £130 a day'

The person I gave the job to worked 13 hours a day, including on Christmas Eve. Next time I will pay him £100 a day and he works 6 days a week.

PT1 says...
9:42am Fri 25 Jan 13

riman09 wrote:
PT1, you are stereotyping too! The scenario you give is not the type experience by the many I meet in my various 'hats'. I have seen a lot in my decades of doing this sort of thing. If you have submitted a CV with all the relevant bits, written a cover letter that they assess to be 'commendable', and yet never get an invite for an interview, why do you assume they have no right to work? Has it anything to do with the surnames you see being anything but English? You display your prejudice right there.
I have no prejudice, I merely talk from nearly 5 years of experience in the recruitment market.
This is how I see it from a recruiters seat, I have work available but struggle to find genuine job seekers....And we have over 6500 people claiming Job Seekers Allowance.
I have a list of over 100 people from last year that booked in to register with me for work, I set time aside in my day to do this and they never bothered to turn up or call to let me know that they couldn't make it. That is probably 20% of the registration of candidates from last year.

You mention the scenario, if I was in that situation then I would call and email the company/companies to chase my application as they have probably received many applications. By doing this I am fresh in their mind and stand a better chance of being selected for an interview as I am/seem keen to the employer... I rest my case

Big AC says...
10:21am Fri 25 Jan 13

What's your point ALU355?

riman09 says...
12:04pm Fri 25 Jan 13

And I'm talking from more than 10 years in this too! What can one do for a man who goes to the basement, and then declares there is no sunshine?

You assume everyone who is jobless is not looking hard enough. Yet, figures from none other than the IMF accept this economy is in decline. You still expect jobs to be everywhere one looks. Yet, those in the know will testify, for every job advertised they have to sift through more than 50 applicants!

What more can we say? If this was happening in Australia, I'd admit there are lots of jobs. But, not in modern day Britain. When you call a job-seeker, and they do not pick up the phone, nor return your call, do you think of the myriad of possibilities why they did not?

For a start, they could have answered to the call of nature, or they could be driving, or on a noisy bus going for an appointment, or that the phone itself, is compromised, and is not loud enough. Calling back may not be an option if there is no credit in the phone. When you hear there are people who are struggling, it is true.

You only need to volunteer at CAB, and you will soon find out there are a lot of people that do not know what next will happen to their finances!

alu355 says...
1:32pm Fri 25 Jan 13

Big AC wrote:
What's your point ALU355?
Point is that it is now a global economy and workers have to accept a market wage if they want a job

Big AC says...
3:07pm Fri 25 Jan 13

alu355 wrote:
Big AC wrote:
What's your point ALU355?
Point is that it is now a global economy and workers have to accept a market wage if they want a job
Thanks for answering. I agree that you have to take the going rate, but your Romanian builder was earning less than minimum wage. I hope you made him plenty of cups of tea!

alu355 says...
6:44pm Fri 25 Jan 13

Big AC wrote:
alu355 wrote:
Big AC wrote:
What's your point ALU355?
Point is that it is now a global economy and workers have to accept a market wage if they want a job
Thanks for answering. I agree that you have to take the going rate, but your Romanian builder was earning less than minimum wage. I hope you made him plenty of cups of tea!
He actually made me some!

Bon Rurgundy says...
7:27pm Fri 25 Jan 13

AylesburyOx wrote:
Lord Palmerstone wrote:
"there are 6,562 claimants in Oxfordshire"
Poor souls; couldn't manage to get the jobs that the Poles and Russian language inhabitants of the Baltic states managed to get. Still, that's the glory of comprehensive schools. They give you an excellent grounding in being unable to get an unskilled job.
If in doubt blame the Eastern Europeans.
It couldn't possibly have anything to do with the government changing DLA (Disability Living Allowance) to ESA (Employment Support Allowance), which if people don't meet the very strict criteria of (If you have arms, legs and a head the you can work) then they get put on to JSA?
If in doubt expose your ignorance of the UK benefit system. Its Incapacity Benefit that is being replaced by Employment Support Allowance (and this will soon be replaced by Universal Credit). Disability Living Allowance is being replaced by Personal Independence Payment. Do keep up.

Grunden Skip says...
6:15am Sat 26 Jan 13

alu355 wrote:
Big AC wrote:
What's your point ALU355?
Point is that it is now a global economy and workers have to accept a market wage if they want a job
Yep and that is exactly why "us **** natives" do not want to work for the likes or you. Slavery was abolished a little while back do you not recall, yet you seem to think that it is "all fine and dandy" to employ foreigners on slave wages. Do not forget, the less you pay your workers, the more that comes out of "the pot" to top up their money in the form of benefits. Something that I am sure alu355 you also have an opinion on. but judging by your comment, you neither pay tax or NI, so it will not really bother you.

colin777 says...
11:33pm Sun 27 Jan 13

Feelingsmatter wrote:
Pjthompson wrote:
Out of the ark Aylesburyox.. Whatever happened to Equality & Diversity ... .? There are just as many UK citizens working in countries like Poland and Russia ...! As for ESA and DLA claimants why shouldn't there be an opportunity for them to look for paid work and jobs that they "can do" rather than concentrate on what they are unable to do.... That's why there are things like the Permitted Work rules to try and get support and help them work towards working 16 hours plus also there are the Access to Work Schemes and Reasonable Adjustments that can help and keep supporting people... DLA is not means tested .. Remember this Work Programme was set up by the previous Labour Government and a legacy handed over to the current coalition government.... People forget that all too quickly...
DLA may not be means tested, but if, like my son, you have paranoid schizophrenia, you still won't get it. So now I am supporting him, and his chronically ill sibling who is 17. They both have to pay for their own prescriptions (Almost £80 and £16 a month respectively). The benefit system does not work!
if you havent got the resources to pay for prescriptions then you will get them free .

mattyproper77 says...
3:21pm Mon 28 Jan 13

wow, a race to the bottom - work for next to nothing and say thank you for the privilege

This is why England is an absolute $hitehole - thank you very much Sir and god save the queen for allowing me to exist in the country of my birth.

It's also why 500,000+ young Brits leave this godforesaken place every year to contribute and feel valued somewhere with a less moronic, sheep-like, slave mentality

Comprehensive school Oxford boys can be found in all 4 corners and I doubt many would wipe their backside on a red passport to come back.

Dread inna Inglan

Grunden Skip says...
5:56pm Mon 28 Jan 13

colin777 wrote:
Feelingsmatter wrote:
Pjthompson wrote:
Out of the ark Aylesburyox.. Whatever happened to Equality & Diversity ... .? There are just as many UK citizens working in countries like Poland and Russia ...! As for ESA and DLA claimants why shouldn't there be an opportunity for them to look for paid work and jobs that they "can do" rather than concentrate on what they are unable to do.... That's why there are things like the Permitted Work rules to try and get support and help them work towards working 16 hours plus also there are the Access to Work Schemes and Reasonable Adjustments that can help and keep supporting people... DLA is not means tested .. Remember this Work Programme was set up by the previous Labour Government and a legacy handed over to the current coalition government.... People forget that all too quickly...
DLA may not be means tested, but if, like my son, you have paranoid schizophrenia, you still won't get it. So now I am supporting him, and his chronically ill sibling who is 17. They both have to pay for their own prescriptions (Almost £80 and £16 a month respectively). The benefit system does not work!
if you havent got the resources to pay for prescriptions then you will get them free .
Nope you are wrong there. Free prescriptions are for foriegners, and us that have enough NI conts to pay for them. If you don't have enough credits and are English, then you must pay.

Bon Rurgundy says...
9:32pm Mon 28 Jan 13

Grunden Skip wrote:
colin777 wrote:
Feelingsmatter wrote:
Pjthompson wrote:
Out of the ark Aylesburyox.. Whatever happened to Equality & Diversity ... .? There are just as many UK citizens working in countries like Poland and Russia ...! As for ESA and DLA claimants why shouldn't there be an opportunity for them to look for paid work and jobs that they "can do" rather than concentrate on what they are unable to do.... That's why there are things like the Permitted Work rules to try and get support and help them work towards working 16 hours plus also there are the Access to Work Schemes and Reasonable Adjustments that can help and keep supporting people... DLA is not means tested .. Remember this Work Programme was set up by the previous Labour Government and a legacy handed over to the current coalition government.... People forget that all too quickly...
DLA may not be means tested, but if, like my son, you have paranoid schizophrenia, you still won't get it. So now I am supporting him, and his chronically ill sibling who is 17. They both have to pay for their own prescriptions (Almost £80 and £16 a month respectively). The benefit system does not work!
if you havent got the resources to pay for prescriptions then you will get them free .
Nope you are wrong there. Free prescriptions are for foriegners, and us that have enough NI conts to pay for them. If you don't have enough credits and are English, then you must pay.
Foreigners? Show me where it says that in the Regulations and I'll for your prescription myself...

Grunden Skip says...
1:04pm Tue 29 Jan 13

Bon Rurgundy wrote:
Grunden Skip wrote:
colin777 wrote:
Feelingsmatter wrote:
Pjthompson wrote:
Out of the ark Aylesburyox.. Whatever happened to Equality & Diversity ... .? There are just as many UK citizens working in countries like Poland and Russia ...! As for ESA and DLA claimants why shouldn't there be an opportunity for them to look for paid work and jobs that they "can do" rather than concentrate on what they are unable to do.... That's why there are things like the Permitted Work rules to try and get support and help them work towards working 16 hours plus also there are the Access to Work Schemes and Reasonable Adjustments that can help and keep supporting people... DLA is not means tested .. Remember this Work Programme was set up by the previous Labour Government and a legacy handed over to the current coalition government.... People forget that all too quickly...
DLA may not be means tested, but if, like my son, you have paranoid schizophrenia, you still won't get it. So now I am supporting him, and his chronically ill sibling who is 17. They both have to pay for their own prescriptions (Almost £80 and £16 a month respectively). The benefit system does not work!
if you havent got the resources to pay for prescriptions then you will get them free .
Nope you are wrong there. Free prescriptions are for foriegners, and us that have enough NI conts to pay for them. If you don't have enough credits and are English, then you must pay.
Foreigners? Show me where it says that in the Regulations and I'll for your prescription myself...
Any foreigner here claiming JSA irrespective of previous NI conts will get free prescriptions, and a hard working Englishman/lady who is off work sick and has paid NI conts for the last 20 years, but fell behind in the last year (qualifying period) will not. Does that answer your question.

make mine a double says...
8:15pm Tue 29 Jan 13

Ikea have announced 5000k new jobs in the UK. The president of Poland welcomed the news.

click2find

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