'Poverty trap' keeping people out of work as quarter in city jobless

NOTTINGHAM'S RATE OF EMPLOYMENT IS BELOW THAT OF OTHER CITIES

- By GEORGE PALMER-SOADY

THERE are fears thousands are “slipping through the cracks” after the revelation that more than a quarter of people in Nottingham are not in work.

A lack of funding and a “huge gap” in support for young people are among reasons community leaders blame for the stark figures.

Only 72.9% of people of working age - from 16 to 64 - in the city and surrounding areas are employed, whilst 4.7% of people are actively seeking work and claiming benefits.

The Open Kitchen on Mansfield Road, which serves about 150 hot meals a day to those in need, says it has seen more people who are actively seeking work come through the doors in recent months.

"About half of the people who come in can work and would like to work but, such is the situation nowadays, they cannot find the professional help they need," explained Imran Khan, who runs the community kitchen which opens 365 days a year.

"About a year ago, we had advisers who would come in to help our service users put CVs together and even help them buy clothes for interviews, but that stopped.

"We have plumbers and mechanics who have recently lost their jobs coming in.

"Because they cant afford the tools, they then can't get back into work.

"We see many people who have lost their jobs and nowadays, only within a couple of months, you could be homeless because there's so many bills to pay at the end of the month and it's a downward spiral."

The Nottingham Skills Academy in St Ann's teaches construction and general job skills to young people struggling to find their feet in employment.