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Work patterns in the UK analysed

Summary

This National Audit Office Report, ‘Local Labour Market Analysis’ (HC 33), considers the patterns of work and worklessness in the United Kingdom, with an analysis on national, regional and local level.

The National Audit Office sets out a number of findings in this report, including:

  • Competition for vacancies is greater in some regions and local areas than others
  • The workless population have significantly lower qualifications than the work-in population, and in their last job, were more likely to have worked in lower skilled jobs
  • The economically inactive have characteristics that are further removed from the employed than those of the unemployed
  • The relationship between qualifications, jobs and worklessness is not simple
  • Disability has an impact on working and worklessness
  • Black and minority ethnic groups have a lower employment rate, however the degree of the employment gap varies between areas
  • Jobsearch methods of the workless differ substantially from the methods reported as successful by those in work
  • Jobcentre use varies by region, sector, qualification level, and ethnicity
  • Local area analysis shows significant differences within and between locations.

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Law-Making Explained

This is a House of Commons Paper (HC 33 2007-08): it is a Report from the National Audit Office.

Find out more about House of Commons Papers.

How does it affect me?

If you are an employer or workless, or are interested in work patterns in the UK, this affects you.

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Find out more about the National Audit Office

Read more on employment policy on the Department for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform website


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