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- Figures reach highest since May 2000 *
- 1,315 under-24s from Tottenham are on the dole
- David Lammy calls for Enterprise Zone to support regeneration
Today, the Office of National Statistics (ONS) published the claimant count for February 2011 by each Parliamentary constituency, including Tottenham. 6,294 Tottenham residents are currently claiming job seekers allowance, 256 more than in December 2010. This represents 8% of the total adult (16-64) population; the UK average is 3.8%. Tottenham now has the 10th highest claimant count of all 650 UK Parliamentary constituencies and the highest claimant count in London. Tottenham also has the 3rd highest claimant count for women. 1,315 under-24s are now claiming Job Seekers Allowance. This represents 20% of all claimants in Tottenham. Commenting on today’s figures, David Lammy remarked: “Once again the unemployment figures have shown how unfairly disadvantaged Tottenham is in today’s labour market. The government want to cut benefits for the unemployed and vulnerable, but there are fewer and fewer jobs available.
“We’ve hit the highest level of unemployment for decades and the council redundancies have yet to begin. This corner of North London needs a game changer to regenerate the area. The government needs to give those bearing the brunt of the job crisis a real chance to find work.
“In advance of the forthcoming budget, I am urging George Osborne to make Tottenham an Enterprise Zone. An enterprise zone will attract much needed investment and significantly increase job prospects in construction and retail."
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