Airport communities hit hardest by COVID-19 job losses
Today, the All Party-Parliamentary Group for the Future of Aviation has released an analysis of unemployment statistics that shows that airport communities are being hardest hit by the impacts of the pandemic.
Nationally, the number of people claiming unemployment related benefits rose by 112% nationally between January 2020 and January 2021 with the constituencies containing the UK’s top 20 airports seeing unemployment rise by 145%.
This includes increases of:
221% in Hayes and Harlington, the home of London Heathrow Airport
224% in Crawley, the home of London Gatwick Airport
228% in Saffron Walden, the home of London Stansted Airport
185% in North Somerset, the home of Bristol International Airport
151% in Gordon, the home of Aberdeen International Airport
The APPG is repeating its call for an extension of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme until at least the end of 2021 and for a comprehensive financial support package for the Aviation, Travel and Tourism industries.
The group is also calling for the creation of an ‘Airport Communities Resilience Fund’ by HM Treasury to support local authorities in airport areas and to provide job and employment support to those impacted by the pandemic.
Commenting Henry Smith MP, Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for the Future of Aviation said:
“Our aviation, travel and tourism industries have been devastated by the near total collapse in passenger numbers and our airport communities have borne the brunt of this.
“With continuing travel restrictions adding further delay to aviation’s recovery, without a continuation of the job retention scheme, we run the very real risk that these figures will continue to increase.
“It is therefore essential that the Chancellor extends the job retention scheme until at least then end of the year and introduces an airport communities resilience fund to provide further support for those areas most affected by the collapse in UK aviation.
“Alongside this the Government must ensure that a full and comprehensive package of financial support is provided to businesses in the aviation, travel and tourism sectors to protect jobs and to help them through the challenging months ahead.
“The pandemic has been disastrous for our aviation, travel and tourism communities and the Chancellor must use the upcoming Budget to provide the support they desperately need.