Ethnic Minority Unemployment Higher Than Average

A House of Commons’ Public Accounts Committee report has identified the gap between ethnic minorities in work and the rest of the population.

The 'Increasing Employment Rates for Ethnic Minorities' report shows that 14 per cent more ethnic minority persons are unemployed than the national average, which is just 1.3 per cent lower than in 1987.It predicted that at the current levels, it will take another 30 years for things to become even.

Commenting on the report, Anne Fairweather, the Recruitment and Employment Confederation’s head of public policy, said: “The employment gap for ethnic minorities is still extremely high. Interestingly, around 12% of temporary workers are from an ethnic minority - much higher than the UK average of 7%. This shows that temporary work is being used as a stepping stone for ethnic minorities to enter the labour market. Recruitment agencies often provide a more flexible recruitment process which means that people from diverse backgrounds are more likely to succeed in securing employment.”

The report also suggests that Jobcentre Plus personal advisers play a crucial role, both in getting ethnic minorities into employment and moving them closer to the labour market. The advisers are, however, under considerable pressures, which limit the time they are able to spend with customers and their ability to access training and good practice