The debate about the extent of hidden unemployment is central to understanding the contemporary UK labour market. This paper provides a detailed case study of one area - Barrow-in-Furness - where major industrial job losses have co-existed with falling claimant unemployment among men. Using...

This article argues that the scale of unemployment in the UK, and the differences between regions, are severely understated by claimant unemployment data. It explains how unemployment becomes 'hidden', in particular by a major diversion of older and less healthy workers from unemployment-related...