Some 17,986 of the 94,322 people of working age in the borough have survived on either jobseeker’s allowance or disability benefits for more than a decade.
The 19% is the 13th highest in the country, only coming behind inner city areas areas such as Tower Hamlets, Manchester, Birmingham and Liverpool.
The figures, uncovered by the Conservative Party, show that in Blackburn with Darwen:
* 479 people aged over 16 in the borough have never worked and live on benefits.
* 363 people have lived on jobseekers allowance since 1996.
* 8,841 people have never worked "due to health problems"
* 8,303 people have not worked due to health issues since 1996 at the latest.
Currently there are 4,232 people out of work in Blackburn with Darwen, meaning the very long-term jobless total makes up around 20% of the total.
Leaders fear that while there are many genuine claimants, a lot of people are increasingly ‘playing the system’. More local reaction.
Theresa May said:
The reality is that under Labour there has been a steady growth in welfare ghettos - unemployment did not disappear during the ‘boom years’.A ‘Lancashire’ figure was given for the county council area showing 105,000 had been out of work since at least 1996.
It is important to remember that not everyone can work, those with severe disabilities or those who do an invaluable job as full time carers or parents of young children.
But at the same time we should not shy away from demanding more of those who can work, and often desperately want to.
- Part of the problem is the level of benefits available with no time limit. As we have seen recently on television, for some people benefits are a lifestyle choice.
Why should taxpayers foot that bill?
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