Murcia now has just under 200,000 unemployed, which is the fourth highest figure nationwide in percentage terms.

The active population survey, La encuesta de poplación activa, which shows the number of people actually unemployed revealed today that Spain´s unemployment situation continues to worsen.

There are two different sets of figures which show the level of unemployment here in Spain.

One set reflects the numbers of people actively registered with unemployment offices as seeking work  ( issued monthly) and the second relates to the number of the adult population who are unemployed. This second set also includes those who are looking for work, but are not receiving any benefits, such as those who have never had a job, having just left school ( issued quarterly).

 

Today, the quarterly active population survey put the level of Spain´s unemployed at 5,273,600, which is 22.85% of the Spanish workforce, and is the first time the unemployment rate in Spain has topped 5 million, although not the highest percentage rate, which was in 1995, when the figure reached 23.49%.

Analysts and the Bank of Spain said earlier in the week that they believed this figure would be surpassed as the year wore on, and their pessimism seems grounded.

These figures mean that 600,000 jobs were destroyed during 2011, and the number of the population actually in work fell by 3.26%.

This is the fifth consecutive year in which unemployment has increased. By rights, the quantity of people losing their jobs should be diminishing, as the natural pattern is for the lob losses rate to increase, then decline as things get better, but this isn´t happening, as this sequence clearly shows

 

Rate of job losses over the last 5 years:

2007 117,000

2008 1,280,300

2009 1, 118,600

2010 370,100

2011 577,000

 

Total unemployed end of 2011 5,273,600 

 

Whilst these figures are really bad news for the government, a more worrying figure is that which shows the percentage of households in which nobody is working, which has increased considerably this last year. 

There are now 1,575,000 households in which no-one is working, a rise of 18.6% on the figure at the close of 2010. These are the households causing particular concern for the government, as are often the ones with children and larger outgoings which they now find it impossible to meet. 

Just this week, Christian organisation, Cáritas, launched an appeal for help from the public, as it has run out of food aid to distribute to families in need. 

 

Unemployment in Murcia

Unemployment in the Region of Murcia has closed the year at 199,100, an increase of 12,400 people during the year, bringing the active population of the region without work to 26.77%. 

This gives the region the fourth highest percentage rate of unemployment in the country, behind Andalucia, Canaries and Extremadura. 

The Regional Government sees the figures as encouraging, as unemployment in the region has only grown at half the national average( !) although the unions have called it " a black shadow over the region of Murcia" , the opposition spokesperson said the regional government was "acting as an agent of destruction of employment" and the Cartagena businesses association said the figures reflected the fall in consumption and investment.

 

For expats, the effect of all this is multifold.

Whilst it will undoubtedly be easier, and cheaper, to find a tradesman, and employ a builder, public services will suffer. Councils are all on austerity drives, and with the lid firmly closed on municipal coffers, there will be little money to employ staff in the areas of maintenance, services, and certainly arts , culture and fiestas. The cuts are already showing through in the cuts to the concerts and festivals programmes this year, which of course, creates more unemployment.

However, the biggest factor affecting expats is crime. Petty crime is increasing, and the number of reports received from readers who have been victims of robbery are also increasing.

Although in the UK we would put an alarm on our homes and cars as standard, here we seem to take fewer measures to protect ourselves and our homes, but as unemployment increases, so will social problems, so improving security and taking a few basic measures is well worth considering.

Leave a light on and a car parked in the front drive if you go out, vary your routine, ask a friend to house sit, don´t take a handbag if you don´t need to, carry one credit card instead of all of them, and don´t post on facebook that you´re going away for the weekend!

 

There´s crime everywhere, it´s no different here to in the UK, we just need to be a bit more aware these days.

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