Welcome to Pendle, where lockdown didn’t just damage work – it crushed it. With jobs down 26% and young people struggling, the Telegraph’s Melissa Lawford explores how local efforts offer hope, but the pandemic’s scars run deep. Here’s an extract:
In the four years between March 2020 and March 2024, the employment rate in Pendle plunged from 74% to 47.9% – a fall of 26.1% and the biggest drop recorded in any of the 329 local authorities across England and Wales, analysis shows.
The employment rate has recovered to 58.3% since, but for a time less than half the local population was in work.
This is not because of a large rise in unemployment but rather because of a jump in the proportion of people who are economically inactive, meaning they are neither employed nor looking for a job.
Between March 2020 and March 2024, the economic activity rate in Pendle fell by 21.1%, the second largest drop in England and Wales. At the same time, the number of people claiming benefits has surged by 150%, one of the largest rises in the country.
Pendle shines a light on a national problem that has mystified economists and is costing the Government tens of billions a year in benefits and lost taxation. Spending on incapacity and disability benefits totalled £64.7 biilion last year and will rise to £100.7 billion in 2029-30, according to the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR).
Worklessness has surged since Covid, with an extra 893,000 working-age adults classed as economically inactive since the pandemic began, bringing the total to 9.3 million.
Worryingly, this problem is largely unique to the U.K., which is now the only country in the G7 that has a lower employment rate compared to before the pandemic.
Rachel Reeves, the Chancellor, has promised to fix the problem, with Labour campaigning on a pledge to get Britain’s employment rate up from 75% to an unprecedented 80%.
Since coming to power in July, the Government has started drawing up a “Get Britain Working” white paper, expected to be published this autumn, which Reeves says will “tackle the root causes of inactivity”.
However, any mention regarding the cost or legacy of the pandemic was conspicuously absent from her maiden Budget speech.
Yet the message from Pendle is clear – more than four years on from the start of the pandemic, a large chunk of Britain’s workforce is still broken by lockdown. …
Nationally, the number of people who are economically inactive because of long-term sickness has surged by 638,000 since the pandemic began to hit 2.8 million, according to the ONS.
Mental health is a major driver, and the change is particularly stark among the younger generation. …
Since it opened in 2021, 1,269 16 to 24 year-olds have been referred to the Pendle Youth Employment Service (Yes) Hub – 240 of whom have now gained employment and 225 are now enrolled in education or training.
But without individual, tailored support, many young people across the country face a cliff edge when they leave school – and they are increasingly slipping through the net.
The number of 16 to 24 year-olds not in education, employment or training (Neet) has surged by 109,000 since the pandemic and is at a nine-year high, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Almost all of this increase has been driven by young men.
Fewer children are also attending school altogether. Cases of “severe absence” from school have surged by 160% since 2020, with one in five children now “persistently absent” from the education system, according to the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ). …
Local employers in Pendle warn that Covid and the shift online have also had a long-term impact on attitudes to work.
“I think the country as a whole has almost lost that sense of responsibility. People used to have a bit more pride,” says John McBeth, the business manager at Pendle Support, a local care company that employs around 100 people.
The move to remote working has made people feel less accountable, says McBeth. “They didn’t have to get out and go to the office and park the car. We’ve had some people where we’ve done interviews over Zoom and they’ve been sat there in their pyjamas.”
McBeth has also struggled with employees who simply do not show up.
“We’ve had staff who have rung us and said ‘I’m not coming to work today’, and we’ve said, ‘Are you poorly? What’s wrong with you?’ And they say, ‘No, I’m just not coming to work today,’” says McBeth.
“When we go down the route of saying ‘that’s not acceptable’, they’re like, ‘What do you mean?’”
Lee has experienced the same problem. “They say, ‘I’m feeling a bit sad today so I don’t want to come to work.’ That is certainly a running theme among the younger members of the team.”
Worth reading in full.
To join in with the discussion please make a donation to The Daily Sceptic.
Profanity and abuse will be removed and may lead to a permanent ban.
Cue war drums against Iran…
Russia proxy war not going well
China too scary and too in bed with the US cleptocracy.
Iran, perfect.
For the 5 not very skeptical DS subscribers. I assume that you think the idea that this will be used to ramp up the likelihood of violent action against Iran (MAWR WAR!!!), do take a look at the Zero-hedge collection of news on the assassination attempt of a civilian by a Lebanese youth (as far as we know and do remember Mossad regularly recruits Lebanese citizens).
“This high-profile assassination attempt on a well-known British-Indian writer comes at a moment tensions are already long on edge between Washington and Tehran, also as attempts to restore the JCPOA nuclear deal are hanging by a thread.”
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/salman-rushdies-attacker-new-jersey-man-shia-extremist-iranian-sympathies
Of course it may be that some of the down-voters thought my comment in poor taste?
Yes possibly i can agree with that critique, however, imagine if A Muslim writer in the US decided to write a book about JC being a homosexual with his disciples and secretly having orgies with Mary Magdolin, or that Mary herself had an extra marital affair to birth JC.
Do you think for one minute anyone would be surprised if some nutcase Christians put a bounty on his head? I do not for a minute think it would be justified, only not surprising. And who exactly is telling us that there is a threat to JKR? Just seems too convenient timing to think this wont be linked to Iranian State and used as an excuse to either attack Iran or prevent a renewal of the Nuclear deal (which Israel definitely does not want).
Anyway let me know your gripe. I will be nice.
Cowards
cowards
I’ve got no gripe. I never really had much time for JKR but I have warmed to her. She keeps pissing people off and doesn’t care or back down.
I don’t understand the downvote from you then (I assume that was why you responded).
I have not made any point about JKL, who has been an isolated powerful voice for women standing against the Trans nonsense.
MY point is that the very dubious set of tweets of one random unverified person from Pakistan threatening JKR seems like a convenient inflamation of tensions against Iran at a very critical time for Iran and a useful time for Israel and US neocons.
After all the crap we have seen these past two years, we should now all realise that our MSM lie and manipulate people relentlessly in the cause of powerful groups, it seems fairly obvious that one should question who is responsible for Rushdis vile assasination attempt. How many patsies do the PTB have to be caught executing before skeptical minds question the news and who’s interests get served by the narrative we are given?
Is this not the Daily Sceptic?
I only ever downvote obvious trolling or spam, certainly not your post,
Engage or ignore.
You may well be right.
Good policy.
We shall see. Everything is on steroids right now, so it wont take long.
Ditto.
I don’t downvote and agree – “engage or ignore.”
I have a couple of trolls who follow me round on here, as does Mogs and one or two others and whatever we post always attracts at least two downvotes. Those doing the downvoting are pretty much like performing seals and utterly pathetic in their predictability. At least they have paid a fiver for their fun.
I third that regarding ‘disliking’ a comment. “Engage or ignore” is my rule of thumb also. But don’t forget hux, you don’t need to be signed in or have an account ( just like the site in its previous form ) to like/dislike comments. What the enthusiastic saddos unfortunately don’t realise about me is that my motivation for posting has nothing to do with trying to be popular. So if they think that makes one iota of difference they are delusional. People-pleasing is not my thing in life generally and certainly not online.
Wonder if the DS team forgot to load the Round-up last night…
Thanks Mogs. Actually I thought you had to be a subscriber in order to like / dislike posts; this seems very unfair.
“What the enthusiastic saddos unfortunately don’t realise about me is that my motivation for posting has nothing to do with trying to be popular.”
Wholeheartedly agree. I come here for the variety of opinions. The fact that others here present different perspectives on a subject helps to open my eyes, if you will. I like to think I offer something similar in return. If I want ‘mainstream’ I know where to go to find it. I come here and to TCW, Off-Guardian, UK Column and lots of others because the discourse is decidedly “outside the box.” Being a contrarian by nature – awkward bastard to many – means sites like DS are where I feel at home. How did you put it?
“When you find your tribe…”
To each, his own.
I don’t often bother, but I do sometimes downvote tendentious nonsense.
Oh JK is great. She’s got lady balls.
I seem to remember a story about how the “US” branded some countries evil, which just happened to be the three that didn’t have a central bank.
For myself, it is more important to me that people oppose the lockdown narrative than how “sceptical” they are, although obviously there are plenty of other things that should be questioned (who exactly is calling the shots in the “US” these days btw?).
I think things could get interesting when Iran and Saudi Arabia both have nuclear weapons – especially if there is a revolution in Saudi Arabia.
(Btw do they still have police in New York?).
Lockdowns are just one of many tells that the globalists are at war with us. As such, we should, in my view, be on the lookout for every manipulation and prevarication that these Luciferian vampires throw at us.
The Ukraine conflict was the one that immediately followed Lock-downs and Vaccines.
We can clearly see that there are other ones brewing:
Drouts
Food shortages
Energy shortages
Cost of Living crisis
Hate Speech bills and Online Identification
Terrorism and Facial recognition Technology
This is a multipronged war on humanity by multiple power brokers who lie, use the security state, media and government puppets to manipulate, steal and kill us. EVERY NEWS ITEM MUST BE QUESTIONED. It is either distaraction or manipulation.
Lockdowns are the tip of a giant nasty iceberg of a New World Order.
I must say I’m worried about all that land being bought up by notorious eugenicist farmer Gates. He’ll still be able to buy popularity among many people who aren’t awake though, I met someone from Liverpool who thought he was great, some sort of marvellous philanthropist.
The dumb asses who think Gates is great are 100% overlapped with those sticking the death jab boosters to infinity.
They won’t be around for long.
That just leaves the rest of us.
Microsoft used to be a favourite hate target of right-on people because they were a nasty bunch of monopolists – people preferred Apple or Google – LOL!
Gates was pretty notorious for sharp practices within the software industry – not exactly a Mr Nice Guy.
All this seems to have been forgotten by most.
Why should people let you know their ‘gripe’? (Very patronising.) And you describe them as ‘not very sceptical’! Although I didn’t downvote you, I’ve downvoted posts on here before and have had to endure (though not difficult) the numerous little barbs about the ‘downvoters’, descriptions of our likely character (‘miserable’, ‘troll’, oh – and the ultimate insult… ‘triple-vaxed’ (!) etc). They downvoted you because they don’t agree with your post. Live with it. That’s what happens when you post on social media. I’m sure you love it when you get lots of likes don’t you? Do you insist that all those who like your post explain why? Take the rough with the smooth and accept that not everyone will agree with you.
I’m suspecting A Y M wasn’t being patronising but merely wishing to enter into debate with people that disagreed with his/her comment. It seemed fairly quiet comments-wise here yesterday and a decent discussion/debate always livens things up a bit. Its a shame that many prefer to ‘dislike’ and move on when engaging in discussion is a lot more interesting. We are, after all, trying to make this place more of a community and promote free speech. They could also, of course, be people who can’t respond anyway because they don’t have an account.
Killer punch Mogs.
Pretty uncharitable Deborah T.
The challenge was in keeping with Mogadishu comment below,
I don’t give a monkeys about red minuses.
Blimey.
Your analogy is a bit weak when we have had a crucified Christ upside down in a phial of the “artist’s” piss exhibited (and celebrated) with little more than a grumble or two.
It would be interesting to know if you are honest enough to admit that you are (apparently) relaxed about Rushdie’s Islamist stabber and have come out with another boring “The West always in the wrong” hypothesis to divert attention.
Now, as it happens, I need absolutely no convincing that the Beloved Leaders of the West at present are venal, incompetent, virtue signalling, malicious scum.
But I am one of those strange folk who think that Western Culture and Society is still worth defending. Whereas the Iranian Theocracy, the CCP Genocidal Dictatorship or Putin’s ultra nationalist Dictatorship, are threats to what is worth preserving in the West. The fact that Putin and Xi Jinping are obviously far more intelligent that any dozen Western Beloved Leaders put together, notwithstanding.
And it may be relevant that I’m certain that the number of illegal immigrants coming into both the UK and USA must exceed the number trying to get into Russia, China and Iran by several orders of magnitude.
Some come to destroy. But some imagine life will be better.
They’re better strategists. But then they can afford to be, they’re there for the long term (well to be fair jumping Jim is apparently up for reelection, hence, I understand, the Shanghai madness, but his party isn’t, and he’s not very likely to lose).
If Joan of Arc can be cancelled they’ll think nothing of cancelling JK Rowling
Joan of Arc is Cancelled
.youtube watch?v=86lCuFwVG2Y
Anything Goes
Yellow Boards By The Road
The Globalists’ biggest weapon is our complacency
Wednesday 17th August 12pm to 1pm
Yellow Boards
Junction A332 Windsor Rd &
A330 Winkfield Road,
Ascot SL5 7UL
Stand in the Park Sundays 10.30am to 11.30am – make friends & keep sane
Wokingham
Howard Palmer Gardens Sturges Rd RG40 2HD
Bracknell
South Hill Park, Rear Lawn, RG12 7PA
Telegram http://t.me/astandintheparkbracknell
ALERT!!!!
“Unvaccinated Novak Djokovic can play in US Open 2022 after USA confirms Covid rule changes”
https://www.timesnownews.com/sports/tennis/unvaccinated-novak-djokovic-can-play-in-us-open-2022-after-usa-confirms-covid-rule-changes-article-93538945
I think that’s premature. While some internal covid bollocks is being changed, unvaxxed still not allowed to enter the US. It’s the Feds that decide that, not the CDC.
Is that the same Twitter he’s using that insta-bans anyone who uses the term ‘groomer’?
And if “Islamist extremists” (because the other Muslims are less Islamic?) don’t get her, maybe the woke mob will?
The multiple stabbing of a defenceless 75 year old and subsequent threats against another courageous campaigner for freedom of speech simply reveal the cowardly and contemptible nature of the contemporary Militant Islam / CCP / Russian Federation etc tyrannical agenda.
If you put your ears more closely to the ground what you will hear is not defeat but the awe-inspiring sound of a sleeping giant – liberal democracy and it’s spiritual underpinnings – springing back to life.
From Jesus Christ to Salmon Rushdie and J K Rowling the message is the same: Love conquers all.
Get with the programme.
You must be joking. All I hear is the deafening silence of the Left as they desperately try to find a way to blame this on the “Far Right”.Let’s face it, if The Satanic Verses was written today it would never find a publisher. “Islamophobia!” They would run a mile, and if they didn’t, the Twitterati, Jolyon Maugham and the Batley mob would see to it that it was withdrawn.
Apparently there were two policemen at the event, supposedly to guard Rushdie. Unfortunately I think they were from Uvalde.
I wonder how many of these Muslim extremists the Government has imported over the past 20 years?
jeez you guys what did ms Rowling do to cause such a stir?
The price of diversity. Islam is stuck in the Middle Ages. But fear not, we have Satan’s own ambassador Justin Welby bringing up the rear.