Background to the Research

• Increasingly research evidence in the United Kingdom suggests that official unemployment figures do not reflect the real extent of joblessness.
• This paper examines the nature and extent of hidden unemployment within areas of NI, and in NI as a whole.
  

Research Approach

• The paper draws on several sources of official data and on the Centre's own research concerning economic activity and inactivity.
  

Main Findings

• Estimates suggest that in NI there are around 15,500 males registered as long- term sick that can be considered as hidden unemployed. This represents more than one-fifth (22.9%) of total claimants in 1996, and nearly 4% of the economically active population.
• The number of early-retired males in NI is relatively small at around 8,000, this represents around 1.5% of the post-16 years old population.
• In 1996, there were 14,000 male participants on employment and training schemes in NI. This represents 20.4% of male claimants and 3.3% of the male economically active population.
• Official data suggests that there are between 1,000 and 1,400 unemployed 16- and 17-year-old males at any one time (between 4% and 6% of the respective population cohorts). However, recent research tracking the activities of a cohort of young people over a 2 year period, from ages 16 to 18, found that 7% of the male cohort (corresponding to around 2,000 16 and 17 year olds) experienced a long spell of unemployment between the ages of 16 and 18.
• Taking account of the hidden element of male unemployment adds around 25,500 people to the official unemployment figures. This represents around 6% of the economically active population and around 38% of officially registered unemployed claimants.
• The majority of the hidden unemployed are men who are registered as long-term sick but who can be plausibly considered to be unemployed and available for work. The remainder are those removed from the unemployment register because they are participating on government schemes and who, when the scheme has finished, re-enter official unemployment.
• The results show that when the hidden component of joblessness is accounted for, total male unemployment in NI is more than one-third higher than official figures suggest.