Chris Elmore, MP for Ogmore, has blasted “delayed and indecisive” Tory response and calls on Government to adopt its plans for jobs support.
Chris Elmore MP has urged the UK Tory Government to adopt Labour plans for reforming jobs support, as new analysis shows economic inactivity among over 50s has risen by 8% per cent in Wales and in every part of the UK since the pandemic.
The new analysis shows that since the pandemic:
- Every part of the UK has seen a rise in the number of over 50s who are economically inactive, with an overall increase of 350,000 (11%).
- The South West has seen the largest overall increase of 16%, followed by the East Midlands, West Midlands and North West (all 15%).
- Economic inactivity among men over 50 has risen by nearly a quarter (23%) in the North West and West Midlands.
- Economic inactivity among women over 50 has risen by almost a fifth (17%) in the South West and 15% in the North East.
- 55,000 more men over 50 are economically inactive across the North of England.
- 50,000 more women over 50 are economically inactive across the South of England.
Labour’s reform plans will localise employment support, open up Jobcentres, target help to the over 50s, provide specialist support for those with ill health and make sure that work pays.
Chris Elmore, MP for Ogmore, said:
“Everyone deserves proper help and support to move into work. Despite the best efforts of our Welsh Labour Government to plug the gaps left by the UK Tories, we are seeing the number of people who are over 50 and economically inactive increasing.
Ogmore residents deserve a UK Labour government, which will be able to work closely with Welsh Labour to advance programmes we are running in Wales across the UK and deliver the investment we need in south Wales.
Labour has a plan to get Britain working again. We will give more power and flexibility to local areas to run employment support services, and ensure that Jobcentres are open and accessible to all who would benefit from targeted, specialist help as part of our ambition to target the highest employment in the G7.”
Notes:
Labour analysis shows that the number of people aged 50-64 who are economically inactive increased in every part of the UK between March 2020 and September 2022.
| Change in economic inactivity among 50-64 year olds by region and sex (September 2022 v March 2020) | ||||||
| Region/Nation | All | Men | Women | |||
| Number | % | Number | % | Number | % | |
| North East | 18,500 | 12% | 5,600 | 8% | 12,900 | 15% |
| North West | 57,200 | 15% | 34,400 | 23% | 22,900 | 10% |
| Yorkshire and The Humber | 29,400 | 11% | 16,300 | 14% | 13,200 | 8% |
| East Midlands | 35,400 | 15% | 20,000 | 21% | 15,400 | 11% |
| West Midlands | 40,200 | 15% | 25,000 | 23% | 15,300 | 9% |
| East | 26,600 | 9% | 17,800 | 16% | 8,800 | 5% |
| London | 22,400 | 6% | 9,200 | 7% | 13,000 | 6% |
| South East | 15,700 | 4% | -8,600 | -5% | 24,400 | 10% |
| South West | 42,200 | 16% | 16,200 | 15% | 26,000 | 17% |
| Wales | 15,000 | 8% | 4,700 | 6% | 10,300 | 10% |
| Scotland | 35,300 | 11% | 20,600 | 16% | 14,800 | 8% |
| Northern Ireland | 5,700 | 5% | 3,800 | 8% | 1,900 | 3% |
| Total | 343,600 | 11% | 165,000 | 13% | 178,900 | 9% |