AQW 23540/17-22 Written question to the Minister for the Economy
To ask the Minister for the Economy (i) for his assessment of whether those over 50 were disproportionately enetered into furlough arrangements; and (ii) what steps he is taking to ensuring this age group is supported back into work.
Asked by Claire Sugden MLA on 1 October 2021
- Answered
- Written
- After due date
- Tabled
- 1 October 2021
- Answer due by
- 18 October 2021
- Answered
- 21 October 202120 days after tabling
- Department
- Department for the Economy
- Priority question
- No
Answer
(i) The latest available provisional figures show that some 29,700 jobs remained on the UK Government’s furlough scheme at 31 August 2021, which is approximately 4% of eligible employments in Northern Ireland.
The latest available provisional figures for Northern Ireland as at 31 August broken down by age are provided in the table below.
| NI Employments on Furlough 31 August 2021 | |
| Under 25 | 3,120 |
| 25 to 29 | 2,680 |
| 30 to 34 | 3,110 |
| 35 to 39 | 3,490 |
| 40 to 44 | 3,440 |
| 45 to 49 | 3,390 |
| 50 to 54 | 3,440 |
| 55 to 59 | 2,940 |
| 60 to 64 | 2,220 |
| 65 and over | 1,910 |
| Total | 29,700 |
The table below shows the percentage of eligible UK employees that were on furlough by age over the lifetime of the scheme. This data is not available at a Northern Ireland level.
| Under 18 | 18 to 24 | 25 to 34 | 35 to 44 | 45 to 54 | 55 to 64 | 65 & over | |
| 31 July 2020 | 34% | 24% | 17% | 15% | 14% | 16% | 22% |
| 31 Aug 2020 | 21% | 16% | 12% | 11% | 11% | 12% | 16% |
| 30 Sept 2020 | 14% | 11% | 9% | 9% | 8% | 9% | 13% |
| 31 Oct 2020 | 11% | 9% | 8% | 7% | 7% | 8% | 11% |
| 30 Nov 2020 | 32% | 19% | 13% | 11% | 11% | 11% | 15% |
| 31 Dec 2020 | 31% | 20% | 13% | 12% | 11% | 11% | 15% |
| 31 Jan 2021 | 37% | 23% | 15% | 14% | 14% | 14% | 18% |
| 28 Feb 2021 | 36% | 22% | 15% | 14% | 13% | 14% | 18% |
| 31 Mar 2021 | 34% | 21% | 14% | 13% | 12% | 13% | 17% |
| 30 April 2021 | 26% | 16% | 11% | 11% | 10% | 11% | 14% |
| 31 May 2021 | 13% | 10% | 8% | 8% | 8% | 8% | 12% |
| 30 June 2021 | 7% | 6% | 6% | 6% | 6% | 7% | 10% |
| 31 July 2021 | 5% | 5% | 5% | 6% | 5% | 6% | 8% |
| 31 Aug 2021 | 4% | 4% | 4% | 5% | 5% | 5% | 7% |
The above table indicates that the UK furlough scheme has been important in sustaining employment across the age spectrum both in Northern Ireland and across the UK as a whole.
(ii) My Department remains focused on ensuring that our people can achieve their full potential and benefit from strong labour market engagement. In 2020/21 The Skills Intervention Programme was introduced to support those individuals whose employment was most impacted by Covid-19. Free courses were provided covering a number of priority sectors.
Local Further and Higher Education providers delivered courses online ranging from level 2 to level 6. Through the Skills Intervention Programme, it was envisaged that participants on completion of a course and with the lifting of Government Covid-19 restrictions, would be prepared for a return to paid employment.
Skill Up – The Flexible Skills Fund is a new initiative, following on from the success of The Skills Intervention Programme, delivering free training places in an investment of up to £23million over three years. Skill Up will fully fund the local further education colleges and universities delivering qualifications accessible by all NI citizens aged 18 and over.
Skills for a 10X Economy, includes all age ranges in Northern Ireland, and part of the strategy includes creating a culture of lifelong learning for all. To summarise, the overarching proposal is to create a new Lifelong Learning Action Plan, which will consider a range of issues such as increasing adults’ motivation to learn, the role of business in promoting a culture of lifelong learning and assessing the constraints to participation. While a review, in the context of consultation responses is ongoing, these proposals have been broadly endorsed through the consultation process.