Iona Napier
UNEMPLOYMENT in Spain fell by 63,200 in March, suggesting that the nation really is rising from the ashes of the crisis.
This makes it the highest single month reduction in joblessness since 2002 according to the seasonally adjusted statistics.
The Basque Country is the only region in Spain that has not seen its jobless rate fall, recording instead an increase of 510 unemployed over the year.
While a total of 4.45 million are still unemployed in Spain, this is down 323,927 on one year ago.
Spanish consumer confidence is improving and the economy looks to be in recovery mode.
Be interesting to know how these figures are arrived at. In the UK, if benefits stop being paid to a clsimant via sanctions, that person is then deemed to be “self-employed” and no longer counted in the official unemployment figures, (probably living off food-banks and/or the black-economy)
Is this how it works in Spain after unemployment benefits run out?
It is quite different in Spain. In this country there are two different method to calculate unemployment; The one which is mentioned above “Registred Unemployment”: People without any job whose go to unemployment agency to say them “I am looking for a job, can you help me to find one?”
And the second method which is considered more reliable is an extensive interview (EPA) and it counts unemployment people whose are registrated in public agency and also people who is unemployment but don’t comunicate it to them.
Related with your question, approximately 55% of registred unemployment received benefits, the others are living without any economic help but they are counted as well.