An area of Grimsby is one of Britain's worst 'Benefit ghettos', according to a report released today by The Centre For Social Justice.
51 per cent of people aged 16-64 in the town's East Marsh are claiming out-of-work benefits – the sixth-highest rate in England and Wales.
The ward joins others including parts of Birmingham, Tendring, Blackburn and Wirral where more than half the working age residents depend on out-of-work benefits.
The Rhyl West ward in Denbighshire topped the list with 67 per cent of people aged 16-64 living there claiming out-of-work benefits.
Figures in large cities across the country also reveal a high number of claimants. In Liverpool, there are nearly 70 neighbourhoods where the number of people claiming out-of-work benefits is 30 per cent or higher.
This is followed by Birmingham (49 neighbourhoods), Hull (45 neighbourhoods), Manchester (40 neighbourhoods), Leeds (37 Neighbourhoods) and Knowsley (31 neighbourhoods).
Across the country, 6.8 million people are living in a home where no one has a job.
Nearly one fifth of UK children (1.8 million) are growing up in a workless household (the second highest rate in the European Union), and the vast majority of charities helping the unemployed surveyed in the report say that they know of families where two or three generations have no one in work.
One of the charities, Chance UK, said that some children do not understand what work is. Asked what they wanted to be when they grew up, the children said "I want to be famous" or that they wanted to be the "boss" of a gang.
Knowsley in Merseyside and Glasgow both had over 25 per cent of working age people dependent on out of work benefits during the economic boom in 2003 (25.3 per cent and 26.1 per cent respectively), compared with a national average at the time of 12.4 per cent.
In Boston, Lincolnshire, dependency on benefits actually rose during the boom years.
The new CSJ report follows two previous studies, published in 2007 and 2009, that shaped the "make work pay" reforms introduced by the Coalition Government under Iain Duncan Smith's leadership as Secretary of State for Work and Pensions.
A further report, due next year, will draw up detailed recommendations for a second phase in the welfare revolution. This report exposes the soaring cost of welfare. It has risen 18-fold since the inception of the welfare state in 1948, up from £11 billion to more than £200 billion today and accounts for 13 per cent of GDP, compared with 4 per cent in 1948.
Despite the Government's welfare reforms, the bill is projected to go on rising to £218 billion by 2015/16.If you live in the East Marsh and want to have your say – whether employed or claiming benefits - contact the Grimsby Telegraph newsroom on 01472 372236.
