Local action needed to tackle redundancy, says LGA

Posted 14/06/2009

A number of regional variations in redundancies across the UK have been identified by the Local Government Association (LGA).

Figures from the organisation show that during the last year, the increase in claims for jobseeker allowance among managers has been particularly high in the south-east of England.

By contrast, many of those claiming for this support in the West Midlands and the north-west were from skilled trades.

As a result, the LGA has said that any plans to boost the UK economy should be targeted towards individual regions, as the organisation does not believe a one-size-fits-all-strategy will work.

“Different parts of the country are being affected by the recession in very different ways,” noted Sir Jeremy Beecham, vice chairman of the LGA.

He added that even within individual regions, there are “marked differences” as to how certain places are performing.

However, the National Institute of Economic and Social Research this week issued a report suggesting that the worst of the recession may have passed and that the economy is picking up.