'Worklessness costs London £5bn a year'

New research commissioned by London Councils suggests that worklessness costs the capital more than £5 billion a year with 1.5 million people out of work in London - around 30 per cent of the working age population.

The figure of £5.1 billion is made up of a combination of welfare benefit expenditure on workless individuals and their families (including rent support and help with their council tax), and the expenditure on programmes aimed at getting workless people ready for work by developing their work skills.

The research, 'A Worklessness Costs Audit for London', also concluded that national employment programmes are under-performing in London and that boroughs are in a better position to deliver tailored employment services to meet the needs of people living in their communities.

Read more from London Councils

Find out more about worklessness in London

Posted on 17 March 2010

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