Unemployment in Harrogate district falls despite end of furlough

The number of people receiving out-of-work benefits in the Harrogate district has continued to fall, despite the furlough scheme ending at the end of September.

Latest figures by the Office for National Statistics show 2,375 people in the district were claiming the benefits as of October 14.

This is 115 fewer than the 2,490 figure for September 12. The benefits include Universal Credit, which can also be claimed by people who are in work but on low incomes.

The furlough scheme ended on September 30 and supported around 28,600 jobs in the Harrogate district for 18 months.

Read More:

The figures appear to have calmed fears raised by the local Liberal Democrats that the scheme would result in up to 3,600 job losses in the district.

Speaking last month, Cllr Pat Marsh, leader of the opposition group on Harrogate Borough Council, said the Liberal Democrats both locally and nationally were demanding the scheme be extended to protect jobs.

Fifty tonnes of food support donated by Ripon community

A Ripon organisation is able to reflect on a remarkable response to the coronavirus crisis.

With the anniversary of the UK’s first covid lockdown looming, Food Support has been able to measure the weight of the city’s reaction.

The service, located at Community House in Allhallowgate, has received more than 50 tonnes of donations since last March.

This has enabled Suzanne Bowyer, her colleague Caroline King and an army of volunteers, to help families and individuals.

Assistance is provided to people living in Ripon, Boroughbridge and surrounding areas.

Photo of Suzanne Bowyer

Suzanne Bowyer, who says support from the Ripon community has been incredible

Suzanne, told the Stray Ferret:

“The response from individuals, supermarkets, other shops and businesses, has been incredible.

“We have received donations of fresh, packaged and tinned food, beverages and items such as nappies.

“Volunteers have also donated their time.

“This has provided a lifeline for people affected by the pandemic.”

Food Support, works with partner organisations ranging from the NHS and Harrogate Borough Council to doctors’ surgeries and the Salvation Army, who make referrals.

For some, the help will be temporary as they wait for Universal Credit, while others may have a longer-term need.

Suzanne, pointed out:

“We provide a totally discreet and confidential service designed for anybody needing a helping hand.

“People should feel no shame in seeking help to feed themselves or their family in these difficult times, caused by circumstances outside their control.”

Numerous churches, groups, individuals, businesses and organisations continue to rally to the call by providing practical assistance.

Read more:

Food Support has continued throughout the crisis. Donations that arrive at Community House in Allhallowgate are weighed on industrial scales.

More crunch times lie ahead, with school summer holidays, the end of furlough, mortgage holidays and emergency rights preventing tenants from being evicted.

Further details are available at:  www.riponcommunityhouse.co.uk

Harrogate district continues to buck UK unemployment trend

The Harrogate district continues to buck the trend as the number of people claiming out-of-work benefits falls slightly, according to latest figures.

Figures from the Office for National Statistics for January show 3,460 people were claiming out-of-work benefits — 3.7% of the population.

The number is down from 3,540 in December.

This is in contrast to the UK figure of 6.2% of the population claiming support.

Read more:

Financial support for those out of work include Universal Credit and Job Seekers’ Allowance.

Figures in the district have remained stable throughout the pandemic, which suggests the government furlough scheme has protected many staff from redundancy.

Professor Jamie Morgan, of Leeds Business School at Leeds Beckett University, said the impact on the figures of furlough ending will depend on people having jobs to return to.

He added it would also depend on whether employers were in a position to maintain staff and also have customers returning.

Professor Morgan said:

“The effect though, is also likely to depend on who are the main sources of local business demand – especially in hospitality –  what fraction are tourists and from where?

“There is some expectation that from the summer there will be a spike in activity in the hospitality sector – as people start to use some of the savings they have been forced to make and a sense of relief sets in.”

However, he added that the effect on the numbers will also depend on what, if any, public health restrictions are placed on businesses later this year.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak is set to outline his budget tomorrow, which is expected to include a £5 billion fund to help retailers and the hospitality sector reopen.

Salvation Army ready to help Ripon families in need

As another lockdown looms, organisations in Ripon are preparing to support those most in need.

Major Christine McCutcheon, the officer in charge of the Salvation Army’s headquarters and church in Lead Lane, is anticipating a surge in demand for the services provided by foodbanks as Christmas approaches.

Major McCutcheon says the organisation locally is ready to respond.

She told the Stray Ferret:

“My particular concern is for those people who are under the radar and struggling to make ends meet through no fault of their own. When coronavirus first impacted on Ripon, there was a sudden ten-fold increase in the demand for food parcels that we were providing.”

Photograph of donated bags of pasta

Donated bags of pasta will help some people in need to feed their families.

 

Read More:

As the crisis deepened, The Salvation Army linked up with the Food Support foodbank, based at Community House in Allhallowgate, which provides a lifeline for people in Ripon, Boroughbridge and surrounding villages.

Christine and her colleague Alison Hewitt are now gearing up to fill parcels with Christmas food items and toys for families living in the area.

She said:

“In previous years, as part of our Christmas appeal supported by Morrisons supermarkets, we have prepared 200 bags of food and included between 300 and 400 toys, which parents can wrap up themselves to give to their children.

“This year there is likely to be a demand for more and we are again seeking help from the people of Ripon, who have always been extremely generous in providing new toys, food and cash donations.”

For those who haven’t previously called on assistance from The Salvation Army, Christine has a message:

“We handle all enquiries and referrals on a confidential basis. For some, that help might be over a short crisis period, between the loss of a job and the start of Universal Credit payments.

“There is nothing to be ashamed of – we are here to help and not to judge.”

Anybody in need of help or advice can contact the Salvation Army by calling 01765 692657

Out-of-work benefit claims rise slightly in Harrogate district

There has been a slight rise in the number of people claiming out-of-work benefits in the Harrogate district.

In August, there were 3,970 people claiming out-of-work benefits, up slightly from 3,885 in July. Of those, 2,270 were men and 1,705 were women.

The figures were published today by the Office for National Statistics and are accurate up to August 13. They reveal that 4.2% of the district’s population was claiming out-of-work benefits, a rise from 4.1% in the previous month.

Harrogate is below the UK-wide figure of 6.5% for people claiming the benefits, which includes Job Seekers’ Allowance and Universal Credit.

Read more:

The numbers for benefit claims in the district have remained stable all summer, with the government’s furlough scheme used for more than 15,000 jobs in Harrogate and Knaresborough.

However, Harrogate’s Citizens Advice Bureau told the Stray Ferret they are “bracing themselves” for a sharp rise in unemployment in the town when the furlough scheme closes at the end of October.

Unemployment rises in Harrogate district by 186%

There were 3,990 people in the Harrogate district claiming out-of-work benefits in May, up 186% on the previous month.

The figures were published today by the Office for National Statistics and are accurate as of May 14. They reveal that 4.5% of the district’s population is now claiming out-of-work benefits, which rose from 1.5% before the lockdown.

The figures show how the coronavirus lockdown has hit the workforce in the district, in spite of the furlough scheme, which was brought in by the government to protect employees from redundancy.

2,290 of the claimants were men and 1700 were women.

Harrogate is below the UK figure of 6.4% for people claiming the benefits, which includes Job Seekers Allowance and Universal Credit.

Read more:

The ONS said that changes to Universal Credit as part of the UK government’s response to coronavirus meant more people became eligible for unemployment-related benefit support, even if they were still employed.

Sandra Doherty, Chief Executive of Harrogate Chamber of Trade and Commerce, told the Stray Ferret that she fears there will be further job losses when the furlough scheme winds down.

She said:

“Given the devasting effect of COVID-19 on the economy, the rise in unemployment, whilst always regrettable, was only expected.

“For the time being the Government’s furlough scheme, taken up by a significant number of businesses, has enabled many people to retain their jobs, However, when this cash-lifeline is withdrawn, I fear the figure will rise again.

“There is also the chance that many young people, working part-time on zero-hour contracts within the town’s yet to open hospitality sector, could well be missing from the statistics.”

Ms Doherty also said the Harrogate Convention Centre should return to running events as soon as possible to protect further job losses.

She added:

“Although the conversion into a Nightingale Hospital was something we were incredibly proud of, it’s vital this facility is handed back to the town, sooner rather than later. Any delay will only add to an already high level of uncertainty, and could lead to businesses closing and more job losses, something we want to avoid at all costs.”

The Harrogate Jobcentre was closed on March 19 when the government suspended all in-person Jobcentre appointments for three months.

The ONS told the Stray Ferret that out-of-work claims have been centralised, meaning that a small number of claims processed at Harrogate’s Jobcentre were from people living outside of the district.