UNEMPLOYMENT in East Lancashire has shot up 19 per cent – more than twice the rate of the national average.

The latest figures have been branded ‘frightening’ and ‘depressing’.

It comes as it was revealed an average of six people are chasing every job vacancy advertised.

East Lancashire has 13,351 people claiming Jobseekers' Allowance (JSA) - an increase of 2,136 year on year.

This is in contrast to the number of claimants in the North West, which has risen by 10.4 per cent, and the national average of 9.19 per cent.

Now calls have been made for extra help to be given urgently to the region.

Hyndburn and Haslingden MP Graham Jones said: "The current Government's policies aren't working.

"It's the poor people who are paying the price of austerity.

"The area needs help now."

Blackburn MP Jack Straw said the thousands of redundancies in the public sector had hit the local economy.

An estimated 5,000 jobs are being shed by Blackburn with Darwen Borough and Lancashire County councils alone.

Mr Straw said: "These job statistics are the consequence of the cuts in the public sector alongside firms such as BAE slimming down.

"The public sector spending cuts needs to be slowed and direct help given to areas like ours."

Rossendale has the most jobseekers compared to vacancies at 7.5 compared to the national average of 5.2.

Pendle 5.9 and Blackburn have 5.9, Hyndurn 5.7, Burnley 6.2 and Ribble Valley 3.2 people vying for every job.

Figures also show the average weekly income has fallen in Rossendale and in Burnley, to £424.80 and £410 respectively, compared to the national average of £501.

In Blackburn the average weekly wage rose to £439.90, Hyndburn £428.70, Pendle £416.10 and Ribble Valley £488.

Burnley MP Gordon Birtwistle said a lack of skilled workers was a problem.

He said: "There are jobs, but they are for very skilled workers which we don't have in this area."

Business leaders believe measures such as the new Enterprise Zone at Samlesbury will create more jobs in the long term.

Dennis Mendoros, chairman of Regenerate Pennine Lancashire, said: "The fact people are being made redundant could be a boost for business as long as we can accelerate the Enterprise Zone and move forward the Local Enterprise Partnership.

“These smaller businesses should absorb a number of high-tech people made redundant and create inward investment.

“We must safeguard the creation of jobs but also compensate for the jobs we have lost already."

Coun Alyson Barnes, leader of Rossendale Council, said: “It is a very depressing time.

"East Lancashire traditionally tends to be a low-skill area and we suffer in these economic times.

“I really do worry about families in this area. It is a low-pay area. It is very worrying.

“Costs of petrol, fuel in the house and groceries are going up and it is more and more pressure.

“I think it is going to be a slow recovery. The cuts made by this Government have been too deep and too fast.

"It is a very, very fine balance to get this right and at the moment they can’t do it.”

Coun Charlie Briggs, leader of Burnley Council, said: “I am disappointed that people are having to lose their jobs.

“But we are working very hard as a council to bring these figures down.

"We have been in negotiations over the University Technical College, the Weavers' Triangle and the Todmorden Curve, all of which will bring businesses to Burnley.

“There is also the Burnley Bridge business park scheme which we now have funding for.

"I know one or two companies who want to move here on the back of that.

“The key to recovery is getting these job opportunities in Burnley and creating jobs for people.”

Mike Damms, chief executive of East Lancashire Chamber of Commerce, said skills were the key to unlocking future job opportunities.

He said: "Anyone who is on Jobseekers' Allowance should not give up.

"They need stamina as it takes time, even in good times.

"One reason for the spike in numbers is the pilot scheme in Burnley and Aberdeen to get people off incapacity benefit and back into work.

"If people have a work ethic and get qualified and skilled it will increase their chances.

"We have been running the New Enterprise Alliance Scheme for people who have been unemployed for 26 weeks or more or who want to start their own business.

"We put them through on an eight-week cycle, and we're planning to help 400 through that process.

"Being self-sufficient is not for everybody but it's quite a good indicator of what can be done."

Tim Oldfield, a director at Neville Gee in Burnley, which specialises in commercial, financial and industrial recruitment, said September was quieter than usual.

He said: "We have seen a drop off in commercial opportunities around compared to 12 months ago.

"There's a slow down in the engineering sector too."