Number of under-employed in Coventry increases

Figures released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that the number of under-employed people in Coventry has increased year-on-year since the Tory-led Government came to office.

Workers are defined as under-employed if they are willing to work more hours, either by working in an additional job, working more hours in their current job, or switching to a replacement job. They must also be available to start working longer hours within two weeks, and their current weekly hours must be below 40 hours if they are aged between 16 and 18 and below 48 hours if they are aged over 18.

In a letter to Bob, Peter Fullerton – Director General of the ONS – confirmed that, according to Annual Population Survey datasets, the estimated number of under-employed people in Coventry increased from 13,100 in 2010 to 13,400 in 2011 and 13,600 in 2012 (the latest period for which figures are available).

The under-employment problem in Coventry highlights just how out of touch this Government is with the cost of living crisis facing the city’s hard working families, who are worried about whether they will be able to make ends meet and put food on the table for their children.  As wages are now down £1600 a year after inflation under David Cameron and tax and benefit changes since 2010 have left families worse off by an average of £891 this year.

Bob said:

“The Government’s cost of living crisis affecting people in Coventry is being perpetuated by an increase in under-employment.

“It is clear that under-employment is a growing problem for thousands of families in Coventry who are already feeling the squeeze from rising prices and falling wages. An estimated one in ten of those in work in Coventry are now unable to work the hours they would like.

“These figures show that this out of touch Government really needs to wake up from its complacency on living standards now.” 

 

Coventry’s average ESA appeal waiting times above the national average

In 2012, the Tory-led Government committed to implement a number of measures to bring down the average waiting time for an Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) appeal hearing in Coventry – which had increased significantly during their time in office from 14.3 weeks in 2009-10 to 55 weeks in 2012-13.

Whilst the average ESA appeal waiting time in Coventry appears to have decreased since 2012 – according to figures released by the Ministry of Justice – it is still well above the national and regional averages.

In response to a Parliamentary Questions asked by Bob, the Ministry of Justice revealed that the average length of time for the Tribunals Service to administer an ESA appeal in Coventry was as high as 30.8 weeks during the period January to September 2013 (the latest period for which figures are available).  This is well above the national average in England and Wales which stood as low as 18.8 weeks during the same period and 24.8 weeks in the West Midlands.

These figures reveal that those whose appeals were heard in Coventry were likely to wait as long as an extra 12 weeks for the disposal of their appeal when compared with the national average in England and Wales.

It was further revealed that average waiting times in Coventry have been persistently higher than the regional and national averages over the same period.

Moreover, the Ministry of Justice has issued statistics which show that the percentage of ESA appeals decided in favour of the appellant in the first three quarters of 2013 in Coventry stood at 45% (January to March), 48% (April to June) and 40% (July to September).  These figures clearly show that had the original decision to disallow a claimant’s ESA been made correctly in the first place, there would have been nearly half as many appeals in Coventry over the period.  This would have freed up capacity in the courts and ensured that appeals were heard in a timelier manner.

Bob said:

“These figures clearly demonstrate that appellants in Coventry are consistently waiting longer on average for their appeals to be heard than those in other areas of the country.  This undoubtedly disadvantages those in Coventry, many of whom are already in a vulnerable position, and adds additional stress and anxiety to what is already a difficult process.

“It is clear that the Government must take further steps to increase capacity across the Tribunals Service, as well as take action to increase the accuracy of initial decision making.  It is only by taking this affirmative action that waiting times in Coventry will start to fall further and faster and at the very least reach parity with the national average.”

THE COST OF CAMERON’S POLICIES IS TOO HIGH AND WORKING PEOPLE ARE FOOTING THE BILL

For millions of families there is no economic recovery at all.

Working people have suffered a massive fall in the value of real earnings since David Cameron became Prime Minister.

Prices are soaring, wages are falling and working people are on average £1,600 worse off. Yet David Cameron continues to demonstrate how out of touch he is with the struggles millions are facing.

So, at a time when the cost of gas, electricity and other household bills continues to rise, it is wrong for the Prime Minister to turn the cheek and pretend this cost of living crisis isn’t happening.

Labour will tackle the cost of living crisis that working people in Coventry face.  We will build more homes and boost apprenticeships.  We will cut business rates and expand childcare to make sure work always pays.

The Cost of Cameron’s policies is too high and its hard-working people that are footing the bill. This can’t go on. We need to change our economy and ensure that living standards rise for the many, not just a few at the top.