People from black and ethnic minority groups are twice as likely to be unemployed as white jobseekers, figures show.
The unemployment rate for working age people across all ethnic minority groups was 14 per cent last year, compared to 7 per cent for white people, according to the statistics released by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
Jobseekers from Pakistani and Bangladeshi backgrounds were the most likely to be out of work, with an unemployment rate of 19 per cent, compared to 17 per cent for black people and 15 per cent for people of mixed race.
The DWP’s figures were compiled over the 12 months to September 2013, although overall unemployment in the UK has started to fall since that period.
There are now 2.39 million people out of work, a drop of 99,000 in the three months to October 2013, according to the Office for National Statistics. The unemployment rate in the UK now stands at 7.4 per cent.
But the TUC called on the government to start targeting unemployment initiatives, given the latest DWP statistics.
TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady said: “Rather than leave people from some ethnic backgrounds to languish on the dole, the government should do much more to help black and Pakistani youngsters – as well as the long-term unemployed from within these communities – with targeted support so they can more easily find work.”
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Responding to the figures, a DWP spokesperson said: “Nationally there are more people from ethnic minorities in work than ever before. This is encouraging, but we are not complacent, we know more needs to be done to help people into jobs. That is why we introduced schemes such as the Work Programme to give people the individualised help they need.
“The diversity of this country means we need an approach that focuses on individual jobseekers, rather than simply defining people’s needs by their ethnicity,” added the DWP.
“But where jobseekers from an ethnic group in an area have common barriers, then Jobcentre Plus and Work Programme providers have the flexibility to tailor support to ensure they get the help they need to find work.”
