Published on December 22, 2009, 9:19 am
News
Ethnic minorities have suffered unemployment rates double the level for whites since the start of the recession in 2008, new figures reveal.

According to research by the Equalities and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) and the Government Equalities Office, unemployment among African and Caribbean communities rose from 13.2 per cent in the first quarter of 2008 to 20.1 per cent in the third quarter of 2009.

During the same period, white unemployment only rose by 2.8 per cent from 4.8 per cent to 7.6 per cent.

The disparity has become even more pronounced during the last six months as Asian, African and Caribbean unemployment has risen by 2.2 per cent each, compared with an average unemployment rate of 0.8 per cent.

The report, which updates findings published earlier this year by the Commission and GEO, looks at how the downturn in the UK labour market has impacted on various equality groups between the first quarter of 2008 and the quarter ending September 2009.

Results also suggest that young people (18 - 24 years) and men have continued to see large increases in their unemployment levels since the beginning of the current UK recession in the first quarter of 2008.

Unemployment among 18- 24 year olds is up by 6.5 per cent from 12.0 per cent in the first quarter of 2008, to 18.5 per cent in the third quarter of 2009. Over the same period, unemployment for men rose from 5.6 to 9.2 per cent (up 3.6 per cent).

Trevor Phillips, Chair of the EHRC said: "The data for the last six months suggests a significant deterioration in employment for those from ethnic minority groups which risks undoing much of the progress made over the last few years. "