Manufacturing worst hit by pandemic new figures show - and 4,653 jobs have been lost in region

The manufacturing sector suffered the most redundancies in 2021, new figures show.
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Some 15,117 people in the sector lost their jobs between April and June of this year, which works out at 5.91 redundancies per 1,000 people.

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The agriculture, fishing, energy and water industry saw the biggest increase in redundancies in the last 10 years, with a 79.97 per cent increase to 3,252 this year so far.

Thorntons, Fargate. Picture: Chris EtchellsThorntons, Fargate. Picture: Chris Etchells
Thorntons, Fargate. Picture: Chris Etchells
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Meanwhile, Yorkshire and the Humber is ninth in a list of regions with the most redundancies between April and June 2021. Some 4,653 have lost their jobs, equal to 2.1 per 1,000 people.

London tops the ranking for the region that has made the most people redundant in 2021, with 19,095 redundancies occurring between April and June. The research was by Utility Bidder.

The three month period was during restrictions due to the pandemic, which started with ‘lockdown one’ in March 2020.

Liberty Speciality Steels, Stocksbridge. Picture: Chris EtchellsLiberty Speciality Steels, Stocksbridge. Picture: Chris Etchells
Liberty Speciality Steels, Stocksbridge. Picture: Chris Etchells

It was just after ‘lockdown three’ from January to March, but before ‘freedom day’ when restrictions were lifted in July.

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Government support for business included the furlough scheme, bounce back loans and business rates relief. The furlough scheme ended on September 30 and could see a spike in redundancies.

In March, The Star reported that unions were urging Sheffield City Council to ‘pressure’ Rolls-Royce into cancelling plans to make 75 redundant at is Advanced Blade Casting Facility on the Advanced Manufacturing Park.

Liberty Speciality Steels in Stocksbridge was ‘managing the impact’ on job due to the pandemic. The site is home to the High Value Manufacturing division which supplies the aerospace, oil and gas and general engineering markets.

Rolls-Royce Advanced Blade Casting Facility on the Advanced Manufacturing Park.Rolls-Royce Advanced Blade Casting Facility on the Advanced Manufacturing Park.
Rolls-Royce Advanced Blade Casting Facility on the Advanced Manufacturing Park.

On the high street, historic Sheffield chocolate company Thorntons announced it would permanently close all shops due to Covid, putting 600 workers at risk of redundancy.

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Thousands of jobs were lost in fashion retail with the collapse of Sir Philip Green's Arcadia retail empire which included Burton, TopShop, TopMan and Miss Selfridge.

Debenhams closed permanently with the loss of 118 stores - including on The Moor and in Meadowhall - and John Lewis shut several sites including its department store on Barker’s Pool in Sheffield city centre, with 299 made redundant.

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Thank you. Nancy Fielder, editor.

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