PRESS RELEASE

CHARITY CALLS ON GOVERNMENT TO TAKE ACTION TO REDUCE ETHNIC MINORITY UNEMPLOYMENT DESPAIR

BTEG has published a new policy briefing paper entitled ‘Challenges for Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic employment and enterprise in the new policy context’.

Ethnic minorities are over represented amongst Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) claimants. In May 2011, 19 per cent of JSA claimants in England were ethnic minority and 49 per cent of JSA claimants in London were ethnic minority, although ethnic minority people make up only 13 per cent of the working age population in England and 36 per cent of the working age population in London. The briefing explores how the current government’s policies will impact on this urgent and growing problem.

Despite some narrowing of the gap between the employment rate for ethnic minorities and the national average over the last 10 years, the ethnic minority employment rate remains over 10 percentage points below the average rate. The National Audit Office has calculated that this gap in the employment rate costs the UK economy around £8.6 billion a year.

Ethnic minority led businesses experience greater difficulties in accessing finance. According to the 2020 Small Business Survey, 30 per cent of ethnic minority led businesses were unable to gain financial support from any source.

In order to develop new responses in the current policy climate the briefing paper puts forward 12 recommendations covering recruitment, in-work-poverty, enterprise and business support, and young people. Two key recommendations call on the Government to:

• Strengthen its own  Equality Strategy to include actions to close the ethnic minority employment gap
• Ensure ethnic minority young people at secondary school receive good careers and employability advice from Year 7.

 

Jeremy Crook OBE, Director of BTEG, said:

‘Youth unemployment is at a record high with 20 per cent of young people  who are available for work currently unemployed. Among young black people, a shocking 40 per cent of those available for work are unemployed. The Government needs to step up the challenge to ensure that our collective efforts to end race inequality in the UK labour market achieve results. In the current financial climate we clearly cannot afford to lose out on the employment skills and high aspirations of many ethnic minority individuals and groups to start up a business. We all need to ensure that ‘the decade of the entrepreneur’ does not remain a slogan but is translated in successful businesses and economic growth for all our communities.’

End

Notes

 1. About BTEG

BTEG is a London based national charity which was set up in 1991 by Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) voluntary and community organisations. The charity works to support local BAME organisations that help people into work and advises government departments.

 

BTEG has been at the forefront of generating ideas and stimulating discussions on progressing race equality in employment and enterprise for over 20 years. Building on its long track record of providing a voice to government and monitoring changes in approaches and policies of subsequent governments, this briefing produced by BTEG folds together the previous and current governments’ employment and enterprise policies in a comprehensive framework. The aim is not to defend or criticise changes in policies over time - but to provide a guide to current government policies and consider how the goal of BTEG, and others have been affected in eradicating race inequalities in the changing policy context.

 

BTEG is supported by Trust for London, City Bridge Trust, Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust and Ministry of Justice.

 

2. For more information about this press release and briefing paper contact:. Jeremy Crook, Director. Tel: 0207 843 6111 or email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it Mobile: 07766114877

3. Jeremy Crook is a member the Department for Work and Pensions’ Ethnic Minority Advisory Group, which advises Ministers and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills External Equalities Advisory Group.

Black Training and Enterprise Group

Lancaster House, 31-33 Islington High Street, London N1 9LH

Tel: 020 7843 6110

Registered charity No: 1056043