Changes in unemployment and permanent sickness in England’s East Midlands coalfields, 1971–2011

Sinnett, Danielle; Norman, Paul

Abstract

The UK coal industry was an important part of the economy, but it experienced substantial job losses during the 1980s and 1990s. To alleviate the resulting socio-economic problems, many areas received regeneration funds. We examine to what extent relative unemployment and permanent sickness and disability in the coalfields of the East Midlands changed between 1971 and 2011. Over this period rates of permanent sickness and disability have increased, and the gap widened between coalfields and non-coalfields. In contrast, unemployment has decreased at a faster rate in the coalfields. However, both outcomes are better in those coalfields that were less dependent on mining.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Mar 9, 2023
• Online Publication Date: May 11, 2023
• Publication Date: Jan 2, 2024
• Deposit Date: Apr 28, 2023
• Publicly Available Date: Jan 17, 2024
• Journal: Regional Studies
• Print ISSN: 0034-3404
• Electronic ISSN: 1360-0591
• Publisher: Taylor & Francis (Routledge)
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 58
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 61-77
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00343404.2023.2191642
• Keywords: General Social Sciences, General Environmental Science
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/10722166
• Publisher URL: https://www.tandfonline.com/journals/cres20