Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the total cost to (a) the economy, (b) government revenue and (c) public services of unemployment among (i) people with a disability, (ii) people with chronic mental health problems, (iii) ex-offenders, (iv) people who have been unemployed for a year or more, (v) care leavers and (vi) veterans.

HM Treasury does not make estimates of the total cost of unemployment of specific groups.

The government is committed to helping those from disadvantaged backgrounds get into work. The unemployment rate is at its lowest for over 40 years and has fallen by over 1 million since 2010.

3 million more people are in employment today than in 2010. The government’s successful labour market policies, including its effective unemployment support, has had a part in making this happen – today there are 687,000 fewer job-seeking claimants than in 2010.

As a result, this year the government is forecast to spend £2.8 billion on jobseekers benefits, this is £2.2 billion pounds less than seven years ago. In addition, £15bn is forecast to be spent on the Employment and Support Allowance which is paid to those who cannot work due to illness or disability.