Interesting Facts

According to an annual poll, run by the BBC World Service, unemployment is the world's fastest-rising worry. (The growth in concern was found across all countries surveyed, although corruption and poverty still ranked the highest worries.   Worry about unemployment was six times the rate citing it in the first survey in 2009. In the US, France and Japan - all wealthy, developed nations - the state of the world economy emerged as the main talking point. By contrast, corruption was the most frequently discussed issue in Nigeria, India, Turkey, Indonesia, Nigeria and Peru. These are all developing nations, most with poor reputations for transparency in government and business. In another group of developing countries, including China, Russia, Kenya and the Philippines, rising prices for food and energy were the main topic. In Latin America, however, crime and violence emerged as commonly discussed themes. Indeed in Brazil, famous for social tensions in its urban slums,...

According to the German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DIHK), unemployment will fall to its lowest level in almost 20 years. (It's probably because of crappy 400 Euro jobs. Lots of people don't qualify as being unemployed, but they are as poor as church mice.)

According to the Tories, nearly two million people in Britain have never had a job. (Seemingly a further three million have not worked since Labour came to power. In the worst unemployment black spots, as many as a quarter of all adults have not held down a job since 1996. Of course the conservatives are the opposition party, and so they are calling it "horrendous". Labour could put a different 'spin' on it by saying "Over 5 million people in Britain haven't had to degrade themselves by working for Tory fat cats!")

The number of young people aged between 16 and 24 who are not in employment, education or training has risen by 94,000. (According to the Prince's Trust, NEETs cost tax payers in the UK over £20 million per week in Job Seeker’s Allowance, but the loss of productivity to the UK economy is over £70 million per week. I don't like to think of humans as being "productive units", but I do know if I didn't work, or do "something", I'd be bored out of my skull.)

According to a report by the Centre for Cities, 47% of people of working age in the London borough of Tower Hamlets are unemployed. (The Centre for Cities is an independent urban policy research unit, whose main aim is to "to help cities improve their economic performance". They are a registered charity if you would like to donate.)