Time to give London's unemployed a helping hand - Mike Tuffrey

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Sat 18th Jul 2009

Two thirds of unemployed Londoners are missing out on help to enable them to get back to work, according to figures obtained from the Mayor of London.

In answer to a question from Mike Tuffrey, leader of the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Group, the Mayor has revealed that less than one in three eligible people on Jobseekers Allowance (JSA) are receiving their entitlement to half price bus and tram fares. In some London boroughs the take-up is even lower.

With rapidly rising unemployment in London almost 40,000 eligible Londoners are now missing out on help they are entitled to. The Mayor has also refused to provide a firm assurance that the discount for unemployed Londoners will remain after its first year of provision.

Mike Tuffrey commented:

"For a number of years I have been pressing for unemployed people on JSA to be given help in remaining active and finding work through half price travel. After consistently raising the issue Boris Johnson eventually had the good sense to take up my proposal, although only for bus and tram travel and with the whole scheme only guaranteed for one year.

"When unemployment is rising so rapidly it is alarming that so few people are getting the support they are fully entitled to. Across London the average take-up is far too low.

"Being out of work means struggling on a low income and finding work often involves making numerous trips to interviews or training which can easily add up in cost. No unemployed Londoner should have to worry about the cost of travel for job searching or attending interviews.

"The Mayor should go further and improve the scheme, for example unemployed Londoners should not have to wait for as long as three months before they can start to benefit from this important scheme."

"As a matter of urgency far more should be done to improve take-up of the scheme. At the same time Boris Johnson must provide an absolute guarantee that the discount will continue next year. This assurance is the very least unemployed Londoners deserve. It is time Boris Johnson gave London's unemployed a real helping hand."

ENDS

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