Are you really unemployed?

Pic Source: Political Humour

The reputation that comes with being unemployed is unbearable for some. Connotations of loutish behaviour, dodging the Job Centre and wasting tax payers money is enough to keep the more dignified from signing on.
One such individual says 'It's demoralising. They treat you like s**t'. Many prefer to say they are 'in between jobs' or on a 'career break', rather than admit to being unemployed.

But should unemployed be so negative?

The ONS (Office for National Statistics) regard those who adhere to the negative stereotypes as 'economically inactive' rather than unemployed:

Unemployed refers to a state in which you are out of work, but are available, actively looking for work( in the past 4 weeks) or awaiting the start date of an accepted position. 2.51 million UK residents are currently unemployed.

Economically Inactive is when you are unemployed, available but not actively seeking, and do not have anything lined up. The figure of this category in the UK at present is now up to 9.04 million. (ONS, 2013)

It's interesting to know that there's some distinguishable difference between the two, and so when someone asks you when you work you can claim 'at least I'm not economically inactive!'. It's also worth noting that not all those in the economically inactive category are the kinds of people who sponge from the government - it's only a few! This category does of course include those who can't/don't work for many reasons, including sickness and disability.


Sources: BBC, ONS.