New business start-ups to improve Newham unemployment picture

Luke Jacobs Monday, September 3, 2012
1:00 PM

Unemployment in Newham is set to fall further because of the number of new businesses that have sprung up.

The East London Business Alliance has recorded almost 1,500 openings in the last five years.

This has led to the creation of 2,344 much needed new jobs in the same period.

The figures were revealed after the borough’s share of benefit claimants fell in July for the first time in three months.

Pauline Barnett, chief executive of the East London Small Business Centre, said: “It is always good news when unemployment falls.

“I think though when you read more on [the figures], there are so many people working part-time.

“We are always busy because there just haven’t been that many jobs out there.”

A total of 10,918 people in Newham are registered jobless – a fall of about 400 on June’s figure.

The borough currently has the third-highest number of benefit claimants in London, behind Southwark and Lambeth.

Mrs Barnett added: “I think the Olympics has definitely given everyone a boost and that fantastic feelgood factor.

“Hopefully, once the Paralympics has started that will go on but how it will all go on after that is anybody’s guess.