News

• 01 February 2019

  Kirklees unemployment climbs 90 to 8,850 (December 2018)

  Unemployment figures (Claimant Count, Jobseekers Allowance (JSA)) for December 2018 were released on Tuesday 22 January 2019 by the Department of Works and Pensions, and are now available in profiles, tables and maps. Figures shown use the headline 'Claimant Count' indicator introduced in October 2015, which counts the number of people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance plus those who claim Universal Credit who are out of work.
  
  Profile: http://observatory.kirklees.gov.uk/profiles/profile?profileId=124&geoTypeId=
  Table: http://observatory.kirklees.gov.uk/dataviews/view?viewId=555
  
  The unemployment total for Kirklees in December 2018 was 8,850 or 3.3% of 16-64 year old population (England 2.3). This represents an increase of +90 on the previous month, and an increase of +3,110 claimants on the same time last year; the lowest number of claimants in recent years was in December 2016 (5,380). However, under Universal Credit a broader span of claimants are required to look for work than under Jobseeker's Allowance. As Universal Credit Full Service is rolled out in particular areas, the number of people recorded as being on the Claimant Count is therefore likely to rise. Bradford, Calderdale and Kirklees are further on in this process compared to other Leeds City Region districts.
  
  The number unemployed January 2008 to date peaked in February 2013 (13,440). In the Leeds City Region York has the lowest unemployment (1.3%), with Bradford the highest (3.7%). The ward with the highest unemployment rate is Dewsbury West (5.2%), with Kirkburton the lowest at 0.9%.
  
  Youth unemployment (18-24) stood at 1,845 or 4.8% of the population aged 18-24 (England 3.2%), +10 higher than last month and +645 higher than the same time last year. However, the claimant count underestimates youth unemployment as not everyone is entitled to benefit or chooses to claim. From the Annual Population Survey it is estimated that the number of young people unemployed in West Yorkshire is over two times higher than the claimant count.
  
  There are two ways of measuring unemployment. The alternative method to the claimant count is the Annual Population Survey which is less accurate, but counts people who are not eligible for benefit that are out of work and actively seeking work. In Kirklees the latest model-based unemployment figure was 10,400 or 4.9% of those aged 16 and over and economically active (England 4.2%). However, confidence intervals reveal that the true number unemployed for Kirklees could lie between 12,800 and 8,000 (3.8% to 6.0%), so this helps to show why this measure is not often quoted; nevertheless the trend has been downwards, and the latest figure for people surveyed between October 2017 and September 2018 is statistically significantly lower than October 2011 and September 2011.
  

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• 07 January 2019

  Kirklees Factsheets 2018 now available

  The 2018 edition of the Kirklees Factsheets are now available at: http://www.kirklees.gov.uk/beta/information-and-data/kirklees-information.aspx There are 13 factsheets in total containing population, maps, and other useful information about Kirklees as a whole. The 13 factsheets are:
  
  The Kirklees district
  Political profile
  Population and housing
  Housing, planning and regeneration
  Environment
  Local economy
  Social profile
  Education and leisure
  Health
  Older people
  Minority ethnic groups
  Disability
  Local authority resources
  

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• 21 December 2018

  Kirklees unemployment climbs 145 to 8,760 (November 2018)

  Unemployment figures (Claimant Count, Jobseekers Allowance (JSA)) for November 2018 were released on Tuesday 11 December 2018 by the Department of Works and Pensions, and are now available in profiles, tables and maps. Figures shown use the headline 'Claimant Count' indicator introduced in October 2015, which counts the number of people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance plus those who claim Universal Credit who are out of work.
  
  Profile: http://observatory.kirklees.gov.uk/profiles/profile?profileId=124&geoTypeId=
  Table: http://observatory.kirklees.gov.uk/dataviews/view?viewId=555
  
  The unemployment total for Kirklees in November 2018 was 8,760 or 3.2% of 16-64 year old population (England 2.2). This represents an increase of +145 on the previous month, and an increase of +3,180 claimants on the same time last year; the lowest number of claimants in recent years was in December 2016 (5,380). However, under Universal Credit a broader span of claimants are required to look for work than under Jobseeker's Allowance. As Universal Credit Full Service is rolled out in particular areas, the number of people recorded as being on the Claimant Count is therefore likely to rise.
  
  The number unemployed January 2008 to date peaked in February 2013 (13,440). In the Leeds City Region York has the lowest unemployment (1.3%), with Calderdale the highest (3.5%). The ward with the highest unemployment rate is Dewsbury West (5.1%), with Kirkburton the lowest at 0.8%.
  
  Youth unemployment (18-24) stood at 1,835 or 4.8% of the population aged 18-24 (England 3.1%), +20 higher than last month and +610 higher than the same time last year. However, the claimant count underestimates youth unemployment as not everyone is entitled to benefit or chooses to claim. From the Annual Population Survey it is estimated that the number of young people unemployed in West Yorkshire is over two times higher than the claimant count.
  
  There are two ways of measuring unemployment. The alternative method to the claimant count is the Annual Population Survey which is less accurate, but counts people who are not eligible for benefit that are out of work and actively seeking work. In Kirklees the latest model-based unemployment figure was 10,100 or 4.8% of those aged 16 and over and economically active (England 4.3%). However, confidence intervals reveal that the true number unemployed for Kirklees could lie between 12,200 and 8,000 (3.8% to 5.8%), so this helps to show why this measure is not often quoted; nevertheless the trend has been downwards, and the latest figure for people surveyed between July 2017 and June 2018 is statistically significantly lower than July 2011 and June 2012.
  

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• 19 November 2018

  Kirklees mean house price climbs to £168,600

  House price paid data for January – July 2018 added and appears in the following:
  
  Profile: http://observatory.kirklees.gov.uk/profiles/profile?profileId=139
  Table: http://observatory.kirklees.gov.uk/dataviews/view?viewId=120
  
  Mean house prices climbed to a new high of around £168,630 during the first half of 2018, mean prices had declined to a low of around £144,000 in 2011 for all types. Holme Valley South ward had the highest mean price across all types at around £270,600, Dewsbury West the lowest at around £108,100. Lindley ward had the highest number of sales (181) with Dewsbury West the lowest (70); Kirklees has had around 2,800 sales so far in 2018. The highest price paid so far in 2018 was £1,200,000 for a detached house in Wilshaw Road near Meltham.
  
  In the Leeds City Region, Harrogate had the highest mean price for all property types of around £318,200, with Barnsley the lowest at around £139,100 (England £297,100).
  
  The price paid data is subject to revision as new records are added for transactions which took place months or years previously. HM Land Registry also publishes average (mean) prices for Local Authorities (House Price Index), but these are calculated using a different methodology (repeat sales of the same property) and are considerably lower. The House Price Index mean for all property types has recovered to above the December 2007 high of £146,442 (Dec 2017, £149,295).
  

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• 16 November 2018

  Kirklees unemployment climbs 140 to 8,615 (October 2018)

  Unemployment figures (Claimant Count, Jobseekers Allowance (JSA)) for October 2018 were released on Tuesday 14 October 2018 by the Department of Works and Pensions, and are now available in profiles, tables and maps. Figures shown use the headline 'Claimant Count' indicator introduced in October 2015, which counts the number of people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance plus those who claim Universal Credit who are out of work.
  
  Profile: http://observatory.kirklees.gov.uk/profiles/profile?profileId=124&geoTypeId=
  Table: http://observatory.kirklees.gov.uk/dataviews/view?viewId=555
  
  The unemployment total for Kirklees in October 2018 was 8,615 or 3.2% of 16-64 year old population (England 2.2). This represents an increase of +140 on the previous month, and an increase of +2,870 claimants on the same time last year; the lowest number of claimants in recent years was in December 2016 (5,380). However, under Universal Credit a broader span of claimants are required to look for work than under Jobseeker's Allowance. As Universal Credit Full Service is rolled out in particular areas, the number of people recorded as being on the Claimant Count is therefore likely to rise.
  
  The number unemployed January 2008 to date peaked in February 2013 (13,440). In the Leeds City Region York has the lowest unemployment (1.3%), with Calderdale the highest (3.5%). The ward with the highest unemployment rate is Dewsbury West (4.9%), with Kirkburton the lowest at 0.8%.
  
  Youth unemployment (18-24) stood at 1,815 or 4.7% of the population aged 18-24 (England 3.1%), +10 higher than last month and +505 higher than the same time last year. However, the claimant count underestimates youth unemployment as not everyone is entitled to benefit or chooses to claim. From the Annual Population Survey it is estimated that the number of young people unemployed in West Yorkshire is over two times higher than the claimant count.
  
  Over the period November 2016 to October 2017, 571 decisions to apply a sanction or claim disallowed ('adverse') were taken by Kirklees Jobcentres, an average of 48 per month (Source: Gov.uk). This figure does not, however, include those who are claiming Universal Credit and have received a sanction or claim disallowed ('adverse').
  
  There are two ways of measuring unemployment. The alternative method to the claimant count is the Annual Population Survey which is less accurate, but counts people who are not eligible for benefit that are out of work and actively seeking work. In Kirklees the latest model-based unemployment figure was 10,100 or 4.8% of those aged 16 and over and economically active (England 4.3%). However, confidence intervals reveal that the true number unemployed for Kirklees could lie between 12,200 and 8,000 (3.8% to 5.8%), so this helps to show why this measure is not often quoted; nevertheless the trend has been downwards, and the latest figure for people surveyed between July 2017 and June 2018 is statistically significantly lower than July 2011 and June 2012.
  

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