Jobs for women become harder to find and are lower paid than men's, new figures show

New statistics show that women aged 25 and over in long-term unemployment increased from 8,053 in 2010 to 41,410 in January this year

(PA)

The number of women unemployed for more than two years has risen fivefold under the coalition, new figures revealed last night.

The statistics, obtained by the shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, Rachel Reeves, to coincide with International Women’s Day, show that women aged 25 and over in long-term unemployment increased from 8,053 in 2010 to 41,410 in January this year. The number of men in the same position rose from 33,000 in 2010 to 86,300 in January 2015.

The Coalition has overseen an increase in employment overall, however. George Osborne is expected to use the Budget later this month to describe this as one of the great success stories of this Government. But, Labour claims, the figures disguise many part-time and zero-hours contracts.

The new figures from the Commons Library also show that since 2010, 60 per cent of the growth in women’s jobs has come from low-paying industries. For men, it is 39 per cent.