We live in UK town where quarter of working age Brits are jobless – not everyone’s lazy but we NEED National Service
A FORMER mining district where almost a quarter of working age people are jobless has “no hope”, disgruntled locals have said.
The grim statistics in Ashfield, Nottinghamshire, come amid a continuing cost of living crisis and brutal Government welfare cuts.
According to ONS figures logged between October 2023 and September 2024, 22.9 per cent of working age (16-64) residents in Ashfield were economically inactive.
Almost half of that figure (44.4%) were considered unable to work due to long-term sickness.
Economically inactive people are those who are not in employment and are not actively seeking work.
The town is divided, with some residents claiming that opportunities in the area are non-existent, while others say those who are jobless are “just lazy”.
One of those is Tomas Katinas, 40, originally from Lithuania.
The hard-grafting Eastern European has slammed Brits for being “too work shy,” saying: “There are some people here who just want to claim benefits and have no intention of working.”
He works as a shopping centre cleaner and security guard, adding: “I love working, it’s like my second home!
“We’re short of staff now but you can’t find anyone to take a job so I’m doing overtime and have no complaints.
“I work hard, I get good pay and I don’t have to claim any benefits.”
The Sun Online caught up with Tomas as he was on his break outside Idlewells Shopping Centre in Sutton-in-Ashfield, where he spoke about troubled youth who “don’t care” about the area or their futures and cause trouble.
The East Midlands market town is home to a huge bronze statue of a kneeling coal miner—just one example of the town’s pride in its heritage.
The thriving industry helped put Ashfield on the map, but 40 years later, the town’s inhabitants are bracing for the impact of the benefit crackdown set to save £5billion.
Some Ashfield residents have said that the town was destroyed with the closure of the pits in the 80s, sending it into a downward spiral.
Former coal miner Dave Sanders, 61, said: “There is a grim future ahead here for generations, and no hope for some people, because society is breaking down.”
The dad-of-two, who runs a thriving window cleaning company, said: “I’m not surprised there are so many out of work here.
“There were a lot of good roots here, but society has become so demoralised and fractured…There is a wasted generation here.”
Dave, who has three grandchildren aged one, five and nine, called for the return of National Service to straighten out those who have become too lenient on the state.
He added that more efforts need to be made to motivate young people and give them better opportunities through hard work and apprenticeships.
“A lot of things need to be sorted at local and national level, and if the country had National Service it would be a different story,” he said.
“There are jobs going, some want them but many don’t and they think they are better idly sitting at home and grabbing benefits.
“They need to bring back apprenticeships, get young people learning a skill or a trade and give them an opportunity.”
Some of the jobless in Ashfield are among Britain’s almost one million NEETS – people aged 16-24 not in employment, education or training.
But the figure has dropped in the district on the previous year, with ONS figures for the year ending 2023 showing almost a third (31.3%) of working-age people in the area were economically inactive.
One 21-year-old mum, who says she can’t work because she has a bone disease and is waiting for an operation, admitted: “It’s hard to get a job here, particularly for the younger ones, so they live on benefits.
“Young people always get slated for being on benefits but if you can’t get a job how can you survive?”
Syrian mother-of-two Eman Kalaaji, 24, who now has British citizenship, is jobless but is studying to improve her English.
She told The Sun Online: “I have lived here for seven years and I haven’t worked. I am claiming child benefit and universal credit.“
The mum of two daughters, aged three and 18 months, added: “My eldest daughter is in nursery and, if I worked, I’d have to pay for child care for the youngest, so it’s not worth it.”
Alice, 33, who works part time as a housekeeper at Center Parcs in Sherwood Forest, Notts, said: “I have a back problem so I can’t work full time.
“I get a salary, but I still need benefits to help pay for my housing.”
“If I worked full time I would lose some handouts but it’s not an option for me right now, it’s limited.”
Alice, who has lived in Sutton-in-Ashfield town for most of her life, said: “In today’s society, it’s really tough because the cost of living is going up but wages aren’t.”
MP for Ashfield is Lee Anderson, who was first elected as a Conservative but switched to Reform in 2024 and won the re-election.
The town – once famous for producing Pretty Polly hosiery – is undergoing a costly regeneration project.
Despite many locals being branded as too lazy to work, with retirees slamming benefit claimants for being a drain on society, a teenage college student is hoping to prove them wrong.
Favour Ogolodom, 17, is studying personal and social development and aspires to be a footballer.
He said: “I want to work and have a good career. I hope I get a chance.”
Favour, who is doing work experience at a cafe, lives at home and is supported financially by his family.
He said: “I think there are jobs out there if you want one. There are job opportunities at supermarkets – Asda in town is always hiring. And McDonald’s employs a lot of young people.”
The town, however, sadly has many homeless people.
Among them is April Pagey, 36, who has been sleeping on the street and in doorways since December 2024 when spiralling rent meant she couldn’t afford a home.
She said: “I’ve worked in the past in shops and as a care assistant, but I don’t work now. I’m homeless and jobless.
“I can’t get a job because you have to look a certain way.”
And April slammed Ashfield District Council for “wasting £1.5 million on a regeneration project” whilst “ignoring residents.”
Pointing to ongoing works to redevelop town centre Portland Square, she fumed: “They are wasting all this money for a few flower beds and benches but they cannot put a roof over my head.
“There’s a growing number of homeless people here. It’s all doom and gloom.”
Gareth Davis, 44, who is also homeless, told how he was released from prison 14 months ago and was “offered a tent to sleep in.”
A retired couple who worked in education and have lived in the town for 53 years said the alarming rate of joblessness didn’t surprise them.
The husband, not wishing to be named, said: “The centre is full of vape shops, barbers and nail bars. It has gone downhill.
The town centre has seen plenty of renovations lately, including a new square and a revamped theatre.
It boasts mainly charity shops, barbers, and beauty salons, with a few pubs and an indoor shopping centre.
Pippa Carter, the director of the Inspire and Achieve Foundation, which works with more than 200 young people a year, said: “Mental health is the largest barrier for our young people.
“And Covid was an impact as well. They’re just not really able to get out of their rooms. They haven’t got that social confidence.
“And then if you then layer on top of that the benefits and welfare system – if they are signed off sick, for example, with their struggling mental health, they’re then stopped from trying to get employment and take steps forward.”
The new-look Portland Square – due to be completed this year – will feature two raised lawns with in-built seating, ambient lighting, planting and semi-mature trees to bring greenery back into the urban setting.
CCTV cameras will overlook the re-developed space with street lighting, new flooring and outdoor seating.
The council says that the ‘ambitious plans for Portland Square will create a modern, attractive, and usable town centre, funded as part of their £62.6million Towns Deal.
Leader of Ashfield District Council, Councillor Jason Zadrozny told The Sun: “Over the last 5 years alone, Ashfield District Council has directly brought over 7000 jobs to our District.
“As Council Leader, I personally led negotiations with Amazon that led to the Fullfillment Centre based in the District which has created thousands of jobs.
“The Council is leading a £100m+ regeneration programme which is attracting new jobs and investment to the District, and aims to improve our town centres and support people into new jobs.
“We are working with schools and colleges to create world-class education and job opportunities.
“We are determined to do everything within our power to make this District great again.”
The Sun contacted the Department for Work and Pensions for comment.