COVID-19 and mass unemployment: A thread.
Coronavirus has had a significant impact on jobs in the UK. The most recent unemployment rate - for June to August - was 4.5%, up 0.4% on the previous three months. That equates to 1.5 million total unemployed. bbc.co.uk/news/business-…
Coronavirus has had a significant impact on jobs in the UK. The most recent unemployment rate - for June to August - was 4.5%, up 0.4% on the previous three months. That equates to 1.5 million total unemployed. bbc.co.uk/news/business-…
The real picture might be worse - between March and September the number of people claiming benefits for being out of work rose 120% to 2.7 million.
The young have been hit particularly hard by all this. 156,000 fewer 16-to 24-year-olds are employed versus three months before.
The young have been hit particularly hard by all this. 156,000 fewer 16-to 24-year-olds are employed versus three months before.
In August the @bankofengland forecast unemployment to rise to 7.5% by the end of 2020 (2.5 million).
That was before @RishiSunak unveiled his Job Support Scheme, which aims to protect jobs, but only those that will be ‘viable’ in the spring.
Source: bankofengland.co.uk/-/media/boe/fi…
That was before @RishiSunak unveiled his Job Support Scheme, which aims to protect jobs, but only those that will be ‘viable’ in the spring.
Source: bankofengland.co.uk/-/media/boe/fi…
Given mass unemployment looks inevitable, what will the impact be on society?
We have a fair idea as the great recession saw unemployment in the UK rise to more than 2.5m in April 2010.
Even though this increase occurred over a fairly long period, the effects were devastating.
We have a fair idea as the great recession saw unemployment in the UK rise to more than 2.5m in April 2010.
Even though this increase occurred over a fairly long period, the effects were devastating.
The @bmj_latest looked into suicides associated with the 2008-10 economic recession in England and found levels of unemployment correlated strongly with suicides among men and women in the period studied.
bmj.com/content/345/bm…
bmj.com/content/345/bm…
The BMJ estimated the recession in the UK led to about 1,000 excess suicides in England: 846 among men and 155 among women.
They calculated that increases in male unemployment were associated with about two fifths of these rises in suicides among men in England.
They calculated that increases in male unemployment were associated with about two fifths of these rises in suicides among men in England.
There’s many other effects of mass unemployment, with direct links to growing crime and increasing addiction: oceanrecoverycentre.com/2020/06/the-li…
And almost 2 million young people are frightened of homelessness if they lose their main source of income due to COVID:
independent.co.uk/money/1uk-unem…
And almost 2 million young people are frightened of homelessness if they lose their main source of income due to COVID:
independent.co.uk/money/1uk-unem…
As the threat from #COVID19 subsides, we will likely be dealing with the implications of mass unemployment on social cohesion, on inequality, on mental health and on the economy: income tax revenues will fall and people will be spending less, with profound consequences.
Poverty will rise, the unemployed will find it harder to get work in the future and physical health problems associated with stress and anxiety will be vast.
In summary, this will progress from being almost exclusively a health crisis to potentially something even more serious.
In summary, this will progress from being almost exclusively a health crisis to potentially something even more serious.
If your mental health has been affected by these issues, talk to someone you trust, like your GP.
If you’re feeling emotionally distressed you can contact the Samaritans anytime on 116 123, or by emailing jo@samaritans.org.
Other help can be found here: nhs.uk/conditions/str…
If you’re feeling emotionally distressed you can contact the Samaritans anytime on 116 123, or by emailing jo@samaritans.org.
Other help can be found here: nhs.uk/conditions/str…
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