Dundee has biggest share of benefits claimants in Scotland

By GARETH ROSE
Published on 11/10/2012 00:12

MORE than 145,000 Scots are claiming unemployment benefits, with 1 per cent of the population receiving pay-outs for more than a year, latest figures show.

The statistics revealed in response to a Scottish Parliament question were taken from Department of Work and Pension study from August, and were broken down by local authority area.

They showed the highest claimant levels were in Dundee City, at 6.5 per cent, followed by East Ayrshire and West Dunbartonshire, both at 6.4, and Glasgow City at 6.1.

Across Scotland, 145,680 people – 4.2 per cent – aged 16 to 64 were claiming in August. Of those, 38,910 had been receiving unemployment benefits for more than a year.

The proportion of 18 to 24-year-olds claiming because they were out of work was far higher – 44,640 young people, or 7.1 per cent.

A spokeswoman said the government was working hard to tackle youth unemployment. “The Scottish Government is doing everything it can to support growth and create jobs across the country and our colleges are now also fully focused on courses that aim to improve the employability of our young people.

“We have also guaranteed a minimum of 25,000 modern apprenticeships in every year of this parliament.”