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Recession hitting Northern Ireland hard
17/03/2009
Some parts of the UK are being affected to a greater extent than others by the recession, a BBC Radio 4 investigation has found.
The World at One programme conducted an analysis of local authority areas and solicitors in Northern Ireland may be interested to learn that the three highest percentage rises in the number of people claiming Jobseekers' Allowance (JSA) in January were in Mid Ulster.
Magherafelt, Dungannon and Cookstown have all been severely impacted by the recession, with unemployment levels running high.
Figures from the Northern Ireland Department of Enterprise Trade & Investment show that Magherafelt was worst off, with the number of JSA claimants rising by 186 per cent between January 2008 and January 2009.
Dungannon and Cookstown were not far behind, registering increases of 161 per cent and 149 per cent respectively.
Ulster Bank economist Richard Ramsey told the programme: "If you look at the Magherafelt and Cookstown areas in particular, they have a large exposure to the construction sector and Northern Ireland as a whole has a larger exposure to the construction sector than any other UK region."
He added: "Given the housing market downturn, it is not surprising that these areas have been hit hardest."
Recent figures from the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) show that house prices in Northern Ireland fell by 14.3 per cent over the 12 months between January 2008 and January 2009, compared with just 6.3 per cent in Scotland.
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The World at One programme conducted an analysis of local authority areas and solicitors in Northern Ireland may be interested to learn that the three highest percentage rises in the number of people claiming Jobseekers' Allowance (JSA) in January were in Mid Ulster.
Magherafelt, Dungannon and Cookstown have all been severely impacted by the recession, with unemployment levels running high.
Figures from the Northern Ireland Department of Enterprise Trade & Investment show that Magherafelt was worst off, with the number of JSA claimants rising by 186 per cent between January 2008 and January 2009.
Dungannon and Cookstown were not far behind, registering increases of 161 per cent and 149 per cent respectively.
Ulster Bank economist Richard Ramsey told the programme: "If you look at the Magherafelt and Cookstown areas in particular, they have a large exposure to the construction sector and Northern Ireland as a whole has a larger exposure to the construction sector than any other UK region."
He added: "Given the housing market downturn, it is not surprising that these areas have been hit hardest."
Recent figures from the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) show that house prices in Northern Ireland fell by 14.3 per cent over the 12 months between January 2008 and January 2009, compared with just 6.3 per cent in Scotland.
Contact us for legal advice
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