UNEMPLOYED UP BY 2.3 PER CENT

MORE than 11,000 people in Coventry are unemployed and relying on benefits - up by 2.3 per cent on last year’s figures.

Men in the north east part of the city have been particularly hard hit, with one in ten out of a job.

They alone represent nearly one-third of all unemployed people in Coventry’s three parliamentary constituencies, the Office for National Statistics revealed.

Women in Coventry’s north west and south constituencies seem to be fairing more favourably.

Combined, they make up less than 15 per cent of everyone claiming Job Seeker’s Allowance in the city.

Alan Durham, a director at Coventry and Warwickshire’s Chamber of Commerce, explained the gender unemployment divide: “I think that reflects, particularly, the jobs in engineering of automotives and construction.

“Certainly all sectors have been affected by the recession. We’ve seen a jump in unemployment partly down to the nature of our industries. But having said that Coventry has diversified a lot over the past 20 years. That will help.”

Mr Durham expressed concern at the number of young people out of work.

“What we’re seeing, and it’s very bad news, is a big rise in the number of 16- to 24-year-olds unemployed,” he added. “Unemployment has risen to 19.1 per cent.

“I’m not sure that we’re any worse in this area than anywhere else but it is a worry that young people can’t seem to get into the job market, especially those leaving school or university.

“These are just figures, and behind each one is an individual with a job loss and all sorts of things to worry about.”

The overall rate of unemployment in the city of 5.7 per cent is lower than the national average of 7.9 per cent. And unemployment figures in the region have fallen slightly from 11,188 in June to 11,176 in July.