SHOCKING data has revealed that Oldham’s young people are continuing to ‘suffer’ unemployment at almost double the national rate.

Figures released by the House of Commons Library show there were 1200 people aged 18-24 claiming unemployment support in June 2021, across Oldham East and Saddleworth, 13.9 per cent of the local population, compared to the UK rate of 7.6 per cent.

That same month Oldham West and Royton had 1,495 claimants aged 18-24, 15.6 per cent of the population aged 18-24.

Across Ashton, Droylsden and Failsworth, in the same period there were 965 18–24-year-olds claiming support.The number of young people out of work in the area has trebled since the start of lockdown in March 2020.

Responding to the data Debbie Abrahams, MP for Oldham East and Saddleworth, said: “The Government’s failure to secure the recovery has seen record long term unemployment and young people in my constituency are suffering unemployment at almost double the national rate.”

Echoing her comments, Angela Rayner, MP for Ashton and Failsworth, said: “My constituents are suffering and enduring real hardship as a result of the Government’s failure to secure the economy and protect businesses and working people.”

Jim McMahon, MP for Oldham West and Royton, meanwhile said he was “really concerned” that the number of people unemployed in his constituency had “stagnated” ahead of the Government’s planned cuts to Universal Credit and phasing out of the furlough scheme in September.

The Social Mobility Commission’s new report, State of the Nation: Social mobility and the pandemic 2021, found young people were twice as likely to be working in sectors that were shut down when lockdown hit.

According to Oldham Council the number of new job postings is however rising, with 6,859 posted across Greater Manchester for the week ending July 10, an 82 per cent increase from the equivalent week last year.

Get Oldham Working (GOW), the borough's employment service, has seen job vacancies return to pre- Covid levels, with 421 created between April - June 21, a 215 per cent increase on the same period in 2020.

The free service, is currently supporting 661 people from October 2020 to March 2022, with a view to extending for another 12 months.

Ingeus, which offers the DWP funded Working Well Job Entry Targeted Support scheme, and GWO will also be delivering the Government's £2.9 billion Restart programme.

The three year programme is part of the government’s Plan for Jobs and will help Universal Credit claimants who have been out of work for at least 12 months find employment. It aims to support 86,200 individuals in Greater Manchester and more than 11,000 Oldham residents.

Councillor Shoab Akhtar, cabinet member for employment and enterprise, said: “I encourage anyone who is struggling with employment to get in touch with our Get Oldham Working team and see how they can help you.”

The Government’s £2 billion Kick Start Scheme, which provides placements to 16- to 24-year-olds meanwhile ends in December.

Minister for employment Mims Davies MP said 14.5 million people across the country had been been supported through Plan for Jobs, including the Kick Start Scheme.

She added: “There is still work to do as the figures show, but importantly we’re on the right track and pushing for recovery, with a sustained rise in the number of people on payrolls, including 135,000 more young people in work this month, and another rise in vacancies on offer as we continue on our roadmap.”