310 older workers in Corby & East Northants hidden from unemployment figures

New research by the Conservatives has revealed that over 16,000 unemployed working age men in the East Midlands have been written off by the Government and hidden from the unemployment figures.

In the Corby Parliamentary Constituency there would be an 11% increase in Jobseeker's Allowance claimants if the number of working aged men claiming Pension Credit were added to the current claimant count. And unemployment figures would rise by 310 to 3,055.

Louise Bagshawe, Parliamentary Candidate for Corby & East Northants, said:

"These figures show that the true extent of Labour's economic failure is worse than the Government's official figures indicate. Labour are moving people around the benefits system to cover up the real number of people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance.

"What we see is that unemployment in Corby & East Northants is in fact eleven percent higher than Labour has told us. It also means that three hundred and ten working aged Pension Credit claimants in our area are being written off from ever finding work again.

"The Government should be prepared to help older people find the jobs they need to continue working until retirement."

Under benefit rules men aged 60-64 are able to claim Pension Credit instead of Jobseeker's Allowance if they lose their job. This means that they don't appear in the official unemployment claimant count figures each month and are excluded from a proper programme of back to work support.

If the working aged men claiming Pension Credit were added to the claimant count it would rise by 14 per cent totalling 127,420 unemployed in the East Midlands, instead of 111,330 as the Government's figures show.