Local Area
Highest employment rises in Wales + North West
Employment rates: percentage point change between 2001-2002, by Government Office Region
In 2002 there were increases in the number of people in employment in most UK areas, with the largest rises in Wales and the North West (59,000 and 53,000 respectively). There were also large rises in Scotland and Northern Ireland (39,000 and 31,000). Employment fell in only two regions – by 13,000 in both the North East and the East.
The working age employment rate fell in four areas in 2002 (North East, East, London, and South East). Again the biggest rises were in Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and the North West.
In Northern Ireland the working age employment rate rose by 1.9 percentage points during 2002, but at 68.5 per cent remained below the national average. In comparison, despite a 0.5 percentage point fall during the year, the South East continued to have the highest regional employment rate at 79.5 per cent.
There were minor increases in unemployment in most areas during 2002. Five regions saw increases of under 10,000 with larger rises in two regions: 27,000 in the South East and 11,000 in the South West. The largest falls in the unemployment level were in London and Scotland (26,000 and 11,000 respectively). There were also smaller falls in Wales, Northern Ireland and the North West.
Unemployment rates: percentage point change between 2001-2002, by Government Office Region
The unemployment rate changes generally mirrored those of unemployment levels with the largest falls in London, Wales and Scotland.
The falls in both employment and unemployment in London can in part be explained by the rise in working age inactivity, where the rate rose from 23.4 per cent at the end of 2001 to 24.1 per cent at the end of 2002.
Data from the 2001 Census allow comparisons at ward level, although it should be noted that they are not entirely comparable with the official LFS estimates. In England and Wales, while over half the wards had employment rates for people aged 16 and over of 55-65 per cent, the distribution was wide. It ranged from 12.7 per cent in Holywell, Oxford, to 89.3 per cent in Tower, City of London. The variation can be accounted for by a variety of reasons; for example, Holywell has a high proportion of inactive students in its population.
Over half the wards have unemployment rates that are under 4 per cent, but again there is a wide distribution. Unemployment rates ranged from zero in four areas (Farringdon and Tower in the City of London, and St.Martins and Tresco in the Isles of Scilly) to 24.6 per cent in Princess ward, Knowsley.
Source: Labour Force Survey, Office for National Statistics Census, April 2001, Office for National Statistics
Notes: Working age employment rate: Working age employment rate is the proportion of the working-age population who are in employment. The working age population comprises men aged 16-64 and women aged 16-59. The LFS definition of employment is anyone who does at least one hour’s paid work in the week prior to their LFS interview, or has a job that they are temporarily away from. Also included are people who do unpaid work in a family business and people on Government-supported training schemes.
Unemployment: the unemployed figures are based on ILO definitions. As well as being without work, the individual must be actively seeking work. In the case of the UK, the specific definition is that to be unemployed an individual must be: not in employment, wants a job, has actively sought work in the last 4 weeks and is available to start work within 2 weeks; or not in emplo
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