A total of 1,620 people were out of work on 6 September, according to Statistics Jersey’s weekly economic indicators report.
The number of people registered as actively seeking work and those on the government’s Covid-19 Related Emergency Support Scheme (CRESS) for migrant workers has slowly fallen every week since reaching it highest level of 2,670 on 24 May.
But the latest unemployment figure is still 660 higher than the number recorded at the same time last year.
The report says that the true unemployment figure could also be higher than indicated by the statistics.
‘Individuals working in some industries of the economy, notably the finance sector, often seek employment through private agencies and do not register as actively seeking work with Customer and Local Services,’ it says.
‘Such industries will, therefore, tend to be under-reported in the ASW numbers.’
The CRESS scheme, which was set up for registered workers who have spent fewer than five years in the Island, ended on 31 August and made its final round of payments last week.
The report indicates that in terms of government support for ailing businesses, £73.8 million has now been paid out under phase two of the government’s Co-Funded Payroll Scheme, under which 80% of staff wages for struggling firms were paid from the public purse. This amount relates to 12,790 claims for April, May, June, July and August.
A further £2 million was paid out under phase one of the scheme, while phase three, under which support will gradually be withdrawn, started on 1 September.
Around 55 loans worth more than £3 million altogether have now been approved under the Business Disruption Loan Guarantee Scheme, under which firms borrow money from the banks that is underwritten by the government.
