ROCHDALE has been dubbed ‘the scrounge capital of the UK’ after it was revealed that the Falinge area has the highest concentration of benefit claimants in the country.
New figures have revealed that 820 out of 1,074 working-age adults in Falinge and College Bank are unemployed and claiming out-of-work benefits.
This works out at 76.4 per cent of the population and means that the Falinge and Central Rochdale ward tops the national league table.
The Balderstone and Kirkholt district also appears on the list. The area takes 27th place,. with 635 out of 1,178 people claiming benefits - 53.9 per cent of the adult population.
Councillor Dale Mulgrew accepted that the figures were ‘grim reading’ but said that recent coverage of the issue in the tabloids, including The Sun and The News of the World, was painting a distorted view of the facts.
He said: "It’s not as simple as saying that Rochdale is the scrounge capital of the UK and sensationalistic headlines will not help the situation.
"It’s a fact that Rochdale is a deprived area and many people in the borough have poor health. These are the harsh realities facing people living in some areas of Rochdale.
"However, not all cases are genuine and some people are playing the system. Perhaps we do need to force them back into work."
The leader of the council, Councillor Alan Taylor, said that the authority was working hard to provide more job opportunities and tackle deprivation.
He hopes that the new multi-million pound Kingsway Business Park will help to kick-start the regeneration process.
He said: "Deprivation affects many areas of the borough and there are hotspots of acute deprivation. We’re working hard to tackle the causes as well as the effects.
"There is a lot of change going on which is creating new employment opportunities. What we are trying to do is maximise these opportunities for local people by making sure that our residents have the qualifications and skills needed to be able to fill new job vacancies as they arise.
"In central Rochdale and Falinge there is a significant proportion of social housing and many flats above shops as well as sheltered accommodation.
"There’s a significant concentration of deprived people within a relatively small geographical area close to the town centre.There also tends to be a transient population as people move out of deprivation we see them move to other areas."
Roger Ellis, the chief executive of the council, recognised that Rochdale was facing a long-term problem, but the council was making significant investments to improve education opportunities for young people.
He added: "Language problems have been highlighted as something that often presents peoples with a barrier so we’re helping people learn English through the ESOL programme.
"We have a scheme called In2Work which is specifically for people on incapacity or sickness related benefits. It’s about getting them back into employment or helping them to set up their own business.
"We have ambitious plans for major physical and social regeneration in Rochdale and we’re determined that some of the improvements we’re making now will have a significant effect on people’s lives."
Rochdale MP Paul Rowen, the Lib Dem shadow minister for work and pensions, said: "There is a direct link between morbidity rates and benefit claims.
"It is clear that people need help and support to get back to work. I am currently lobbying for a change in the benefits system to make it more attractive for people to work and receive positive help and support to get back to work.
"I am keen to ensure that local people take advantage of opportunities like Kingsway Business Park to find work. These headlines are not helpful though and it is only by tackling the problems that we can make a difference."
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Most recent user comments 25 of 25
4/04/2008 at 17:18 Offensive or Inappropriate?
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I'm aware some people abuse the system.
I haven't defended every person on benefits; all I was saying was that not everybody abuses the system and those that aren't abusing the system aren't getting enough money to get by on.
2/04/2008 at 01:38 Offensive or Inappropriate?
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2/04/2008 at 01:37 Offensive or Inappropriate?
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Unbelievable!
The sorry state of Rochdale shows that these overpaid senior officers have been an abject failure.
When faced with facts about Rochdale all the Chief Executive Roger Ellis could harp on about was “regeneration”. What planet is he on? Simple common sense has gone out of the window. All they seem to be interested in are jobs for the boys and getting their snouts in the trough.
I have no time for scroungers- be they work shy soap dodgers or fat cat Rochdale Council executives.
29/03/2008 at 22:00 Offensive or Inappropriate?
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She is deluded when defending many scroungers if she thinks that these poor souls only get £45 a week. Thiat is the tip of the iceberg. The real benefits they milk include the many things us ordinary taxpayers have to cough up for. Council tax, prescriptions, public transport, housing costs.
Certain visitors to this country get free housing, free public travel and grants to fit out their new homes.
Many alcoholics (normally home grown) can even get a weekly allowance for alcohol.
The joke is on us.
29/03/2008 at 08:34 Offensive or Inappropriate?
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26/03/2008 at 10:52 Offensive or Inappropriate?
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You disappoint me Charled De Mar, you come across as an intelligent guy then ruin it by stating you read the Sun. Roch Girl 23/03/2008 at 22:12"
I hate to mention it, but the use of the word 'falled' seems to qualify some of my opinions.
The whole issue is that the Government and the local Council are rewarding bone idleness and abandon those of us with an ounce of drive and determination to make their own way in life, including the young lady who is clearly making the best of a bad hand by getting to college.
Those afflicted by Jeremy-Kyle-itis should be frog marched to the Job Centre and given one of the hundreds of jobs available whether they like it or not.
I can see Yorkshire Street now, devoid of scrotes, now all in work with more money to spend in JJB and Elizabeth Duke...
25/03/2008 at 22:03 Offensive or Inappropriate?
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Things really haven't changed that much over 20 year,only the faces doing the scrounging. It's learned, it's cultural and its probably the children of those parents that were scrounging 20 years ago that are doing the same thing now that their parents did then. The babies in the buggies outside the social with their single teen mums, will be the children outside the social in 20 years time,doing the same thing. So it goes, on and on.
It seems that local councils and Governments are so politically correct in trying to please everyone all of the time. The very fabric that is the community's future, the youth, are being tip toed around. A hard stance needs to be taken, criterias need to be met for the so called scroungers to be able to get all of their freebies.
Re-education might not be a bad thing, it seems that ignorance, a lack of knowledge and the fact that these so called scroungers really don't know any better because this is really all they know, needs to be changed. No hope of ever getting out and seeing the big wide world because they have probably been told they never would, that they're stupid and thick oh yes and scroungers. So why not be what society knows them to be anyway.
Half of them can hardly string 2 words together, is this their fault or an educational system and social network that as failed them? They can probably barely read and write, (just enought to fill out the appropriate benefits paperwork). So we the comment makers can be safe in the knowledge they're not reading our comments? Too bad really it might make them do something about their situation out of sheer embarrassment.
Its a cycle that needs to be broken I hope for Rochdales youth and its future it will be.
I want to applaud the young Rochdale girl for trying to get her education, sofa surfing and trying to manage off a meager amount with virtually no support.
My heart goes out to you, because you are legitimate in your attempts to make a better life for yourself. You will succeed, and the one person you will be able to thank at the end of it all is yourself and maybe some of those extra special people that will have tried to help you along the way.
Keep your chin up and keep doing what you are doing your hard work will pay off in the end.
However, understand that while there are people like yourself genuinely trying to make a better life for themselves, there will always be underclass scroungers in one form or another no matter what. It is the cycle of life and who we are as humans. It is not someone like you that peoples comments are directed at. It is to those scroungers on the video that where pissed off because they weren't going to get their money because of the strike and now God forbid just might have to go out and rob someone, so that they can buy a new shell suite and a big mac. So understand, that the comment makers frustrations aren't directed at you personally but they do have a right to vent. When they, like you, are working hard and trying their best only to have the threat of it being taken away from someone who they are already subsidizing through their taxes, now telling them they'll have to rob them too!!!
It makes me sad, I remember back in the 80's when Rochdale had one of the worst unemployment rates in the country we managed to make it onto the telly with that one. The NF was rampant, we made it onto the telly and papers with that one as well. Is there no hope? Good luck Rochdalians, you need it!!!
24/03/2008 at 18:24 Offensive or Inappropriate?
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You disappoint me Charled De Mar, you come across as an intelligent guy then ruin it by stating you read the Sun.
23/03/2008 at 22:12 Offensive or Inappropriate?
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21/03/2008 at 23:28 Offensive or Inappropriate?
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21/03/2008 at 22:37 Offensive or Inappropriate?
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21/03/2008 at 22:15 Offensive or Inappropriate?
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Don't you normally require an education to go find a decent job? And, doesn't having an education cost money? (travel costs, equipment) And, if young people are emancipated from their parents and rely on themselves... don't they require just a little money to get themselves that education?
21/03/2008 at 15:08 Offensive or Inappropriate?
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I'd rather earn minimum wage than expect handouts and spend my day in front of the telly or hang around Yorkshire Street all day."
I'd rather be in education than spend my day in front of the telly or hang around Yorkshire Street.
It seems to me that all your opinions revolve around working minimum wage and living in rented accommodation. Look, I'll put this simply... there's very little rented accommodation left; I'm 18 and high priority for housing... but it's still a six month waiting list.
Once you get inside this housing, even if you are earning... most likely minimum wage... you're still not going to be able to afford the rent and Housing BENEFITS will have to pay a majority of your rent.
Or you can get off your high horses and accept that not everybody that is in receipt of benefits is the same.
I don't smoke, I don't drink, I don't go to McDonald's or Subway. I have 2 pairs of pants, 3 tops, no coat and 1 set of underwear.
The measly £45 I get goes on food. paying some form of rent to the people whose sofas I stay on... and bus fare to get to and from college; and considering as I don't always know where I'm staying the night before college... well, I end up buying more than one bus ticket.
And, yes, I do find it easy to blame others for my situation. Because it's not my choice to be that tiny step above living on the streets.
Sometimes people have to leave the place they considered home for all their life because it isn't a safe environment... it's abusive. And to some people, the prospect of living on the streets is safer than being at home.
Then, the Government are nice enough to say we'll stick you on a minimum 6 month long waiting list and give you a measly £45 a week to live off of.
I challenge you, live off of £45 a week. £45 to pay utility bills, food bills, travel costs and supplies for education.
It isn't enough. So many people spend £45 on nice, new clothes... or computer software... or on an evening out... or XBox360 games... a new, cheap, mobile phone... there's so much stuff that people throw £45 away on and I'm trying to live off of that each week.
I have lots of motivation for carrying and guiding my way through life; but, obviously, according to all you high and mighty people... this means that me having an education doesn't count. You want me to work minimum wage in a dead end job that doesn't cover rent so I still end up on Housing BENEFITS and Council Tax BENEFITS.
So just consider it from my position, just for a moment, then back the hell off because not everybody on benefits is the same and some people genuinely need the money to be able to imitate some semblance of existence.
21/03/2008 at 12:14 Offensive or Inappropriate?
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1. Agesism you are considered too old.
2. As you have accumilated lots of experience you are considered a threat to the interverer often knowing more than them.
Think about it ? ?
21/03/2008 at 11:45 Offensive or Inappropriate?
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It is okay for us we have a mortgage and got on the ladder years ago, these young people dont stand a chance.
Also Charles the only people i witness these days getting hired are the Poles. They are here to drive wages down and get child benefit sent back to Poland after a year.
You tell me that is fair on people here wanting to work.
21/03/2008 at 10:28 Offensive or Inappropriate?
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21/03/2008 at 09:37 Offensive or Inappropriate?
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20/03/2008 at 20:24 Offensive or Inappropriate?
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I think you're missing my point. After I've paid for the mortgage, utilities, council Tax, food, commuting and clothing, there's little left for me to go to the pub, spend £5+ on a pack of fags each day, or justify a £3 Happy Meal. We could play the system and probably be no worse off, but we don't. We have pride in ourselves and are not prepared to let someone else take responsibility for us.
Sadly, it's all too easy for people to blame others for their shortcomings and expect to be guided and carried through life with little motivation for doing it themselves.
I'd rather earn minimum wage than expect handouts and spend my day in front of the telly or hang around Yorkshire Street all day.
20/03/2008 at 20:22 Offensive or Inappropriate?
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20/03/2008 at 19:00 Offensive or Inappropriate?
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20/03/2008 at 17:31 Offensive or Inappropriate?
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The truth is there are no decent jobs, and people thinking that the new Kingsway park will create decent well paid jobs are living in cloud cuckoo land.
God save us from the righteous on here.
20/03/2008 at 11:37 Offensive or Inappropriate?
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Again, someone tarring everyone with the same brush.
But, the stereotypical people on benefits within the Rochdale area that you described was very accurate... though, not everyone is like that you have to bear in mind. I certainly don't have enough money for drinking, smoking or McDonalds or Subway.
20/03/2008 at 10:44 Offensive or Inappropriate?
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It makes the proposed revamp and substantial investment to Rochdale questionable - how will the money be recouped if it isn't there in the first place? What message does this send out to the likes of Debenhams and M&S?
It's about time the Government took a proper grip of this situation and FORCED people back into work with punitive punishments for those not doing so. I don't believe for one second that this "underclass" are totally incapable of contributing to the economy, rather than taking from it.
These types of people are the ones who complain about immigration from Eastern Europe and beyond. They're here because they have the pride and work ethic to do the jobs that they are too bone idle to do themselves.
Instead of Rochdalians moaning about the "Black Box", maybe the Falinge and College flats should be facing dynamite and rid Rochdale of these pariahs - Poland has plenty of vacant housing by all accounts.
20/03/2008 at 10:30 Offensive or Inappropriate?
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Yes, in a sense I am putting myself through college; unlike everyone else my age I have to pay for my own travel and college equipment; I know that overall my education is provided for, but, everything else I have to pay for.
And £45 (Income Support) a week doesn't go very far. I don't receive any money from EMA because to do so you have to have an address; something I don't have.
I am currently sofa-surfing which is one step above living on the streets.
Actually, I go to Oldham Sixth Form... I'm getting myself a real education; not an apprenticeship. I don't stay with a friend in a flat; all of my friends still live with their parents... I just sleep on their sofas whenever it's offered.
And, I grew up in Rochdale and sometimes stay there. I have stayed in Rochdale for 17, nearly 18 years and have only spent the last 6 months in Oldham. I put Oldham as my location because it's true.
Anglosaxon, you try living off of £45 a week; go on, just try it.
Income Support hasn't been increased for a number of years; regardless of inflation. I hate having to live off of other people's money, but, I have no choice. I used to always hate people that scrounged off of other people's money; but, sometimes it is necessary. OK, so there is a lot of people that abuse the system, but, there's also a lot of people don't and these people are getting screwed over by the system. The money provided by benefits is NOT enough to live on.
I give what I can back by helping out at a youth group in Manchester and soon I'll be applying to do volunteer work with Victim Support; something I feel I could help well with.
I'm HOMELESS and running out of sofas to sleep on. I'm not just another scrounger; I have genuine reasons to apply for money and once I've finished my education and if I get the job I am aiming for I will give a lot back to the community that has helped me during this rough time. Yes, I am part of an underclass; but, I wasn't put here by choice.
I don't know, I suppose it was my choice. I could have chosen to quit my education and settle for the McDonald's job and stay in the underpaid/rented accommodation bracket for the rest of my life; as a result I would have still had to have claimed benefits because the jobs available to someone with only AS Levels are very limited and the pay is rarely enough to cover prices of renting; so in come Housing Benefits.
Or, you can spare a measly £45 a week for me to finish my education and become a decent member of this community with a good education and a decent wage and a job that can give back to this community.
Thank you, Artful Dodger, and everyone else.
I do take offence when I'm tarred with the same brush. I'd love to be able to get a decent job and work full time; but, my education is important to me as it should be to any young person.
You have to bear in mind that almost everyone else my own age is either still living with their parents, either working or learning or relaxing, or living on their own claiming benefits and doing nothing.
I'm doing neither of those things; I'm claiming benefits, yes, but, I'm also trying to complete an education that AngloSaxon seems to want to deny me.
Would you rather that all young people quit college and steal the jobs available for you older, wiser, higher citizens?
If everybody that was on benefits suddenly started to work, then, you'd probably all go complaining that there weren't any jobs left.
I agree some people abuse the system; but others are abused by it.
Don't tar us all with the same brush.
20/03/2008 at 10:10 Offensive or Inappropriate?
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