Figures from the Office Of National Statistics show that 5.1% of people across Yorkshire and the Humber are currently unemployed. This is the first time these figures have risen above 5% across the UK since 2016. Many economists expect this figure to continue to rise this year as we still battle against Coronavirus.

Back in March 2020, Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, announced the Job Retention Scheme. This meant that  “Government grants will cover 80% of the salary retained workers up to a total of £2,500 a month”  enabling many people to retain their jobs and businesses staying in business. It is thanks to this scheme, and the rapid roll out of vaccines,  that many jobs have been protected, and will continue to be protected as furloughing will continue until July of this year.
Despite the government’s unprecedented support, millions of people have been left unemployed as businesses have had to close or let go of staff members.

Katherine Mendes, 58 from Barnsely,  was a PA at a law firm in Leeds for over 10 years before the pandemic meant she was made redundant.
Ms Mendes said she was “quite surprised to see how little opportunities there were out there” when she started her job search after taking some time out during the first wave of the pandemic, believing it would only be for a few weeks.

“It was initially demoralising because I was sending my CV off for jobs and not even getting an acknowledgement” Katherine said of her struggle to search for a new job.

Data from the Office Of National Statistics shows a rapid decrease of job vacancies from the first lockdown which started in March 2020. Although the number of job vacancies has started to increase, the effects of this pandemic are set to be visible over the years to come.