By Chris Cornford
The number of Islanders claiming unemployment- related benefits has jumped 111 per cent since last year. The latest figures for January were released by the National Statistics Office this week. Last year there were 2,765 claimants compared with 5,245 this year, which represents 6.6 per cent of the working age population.
The number of 16 to 24-year-olds claiming benefits increased at a slightly higher rate, 114 per cent from 570 to 1,070 individuals.
The figures include employed people able to claim Universal Credit due to changes made to the earnings threshold because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Isle of Wight Observer