BEATTY C., FOTHERGILL S. and MACMILLAN R. (2000) A theory of employment, unemployment and sickness, Reg. Studies 34, 617-630. This paper explains how the measurement of unemployment is distorted by the way that 'sickness' is defined and counted by social security systems. Drawing on the concepts of 'hidden sickness', 'the queue for jobs' and 'hidden unemployment', and on empirical observations from the UK, it shows how job loss can result in increased recorded sickness rather than recorded unemployment. It also shows how this process may vary between localities and countries. The argument has profound implications for perceptions of the true extent of unemployment and of labour market disparities between regions. BEATTY C., FOTHERGILL S. et MACMILLAN R. (2000) L'emploi, le chômage et la maladie: une théorie, Reg. Studies 34, 617-630. Cet article cherchèaexpliquer comment la mesure du chômage s'avère fausséèacause de la fac¸on dont la Sécu définit 'maladie' et la comptabilise. Puisant dans des notions de 'maladie déguisée', 'file d'attente pour l'emploi' et 'chômage déguisé', et à partir des preuves empiriques provenant du R-U, on laisse voir comment la perte d'emploi peut entrâ L ner une hausse du nombre des maladies comptabilisées plutôt qu'une augmentation du nombre des chômeurs inscrits. On laisse voir aussi comment ce processus varie suivant la région et le pays. Les retombées de cet argument remettent clairement en question le vrai niveau du chômage et l'ampleur des disparités interrégionales entre les marchés du travail. BEATTY C., FOTHERGILL S. und MACMILLAN R. (2000) Eine Theorie der Erwerbstätigkeit, Arbeitslosigkeit und Krankheit, Reg. Studies 34, 617-630. Dieser Aufsatz erklärt, wie die Messung der Arbeitslosigkeit durch die Art und Weise der Definition und Zählung von 'Krankheit' durch Sozialversicherungssystemen bestimmt wird. Gestützt auf die Begriffe, 'versteckte Krankheit', 'Warteliste der Arbeitsuchenden' und 'versteckte Arbeitslosigkeit' sowie auf empirische Beobachtungen in Großbritannien, zeigt er auf, wie Verlust des Arbeitsplatzes eher zu vermehrter Registrierung von Krankheit als Registrierung von Arbeitslosigkeit führen kann. Er zeigt auch, wie dieser Vorgang von Ort zu Ort und von Land zu Land schwanken kann. Das Argument hat tiefgreifende Implikationen für die Einschätzung des wahren Ausmaßes der Arbeitslosigkeit und regionaler Ungleichheiten im Arbeitsmarkt.Unemployment, Sickness, Job Loss, Social Security,

and an economist by background. Both authors have an extensive record of research and publication on local and regional trends across the UK, and on the benefits system. Their recent reports include Incapacity benefit reform: the local, regional and national impact and The Real Level of Unemployment 2012. Key points  When the present welfare reforms have come into full effect they will take nearly £19bn a year out of the economy. This is equivalent to around £470 a year for every adult of working age in the country.  The biggest financial losses arise from reforms to incapacity benefits (£4.3bn a year), changes to Tax Credits (£3.6bn a year) and the 1 per cent up-rating of most working-age benefits (£3.4bn a year).  The Housing Benefit reforms result in more modest lossesan estimated £490m a year arising from the 'bedroom tax' for examplebut for the households affected the sums are nevertheless still large.  Some households and individuals, notably sickness and disability claimants, will be hit by several different elements of the reforms.  The financial impact of the reforms, however, varies greatly across the country. At the extremes, the worst-hit local authority areas lose around four times as much, per adult of working age, as the authorities least affected by the reforms.  Britain's older industrial areas, a number of seaside towns and some London boroughs are hit hardest. Much of the south and east of England outside London escapes comparatively lightly.  Blackpool, in North West England, is hit worst of allan estimated loss of more than £900 a year for every adult of working age in the town.  The three regions of northern England alone can expect to lose around £5.2bn a year in benefit income.  As a general rule, the more deprived the local authority, the greater the financial hit.  A key effect of the welfare reforms will be to widen the gaps in prosperity between the best and worst local economies across Britain.

The post-2015 welfare reforms will take almost £13bn a year from claimants by 2020-21.  This brings the cumulative loss since 2010 to £27bn a year-equivalent to £690 a year for every adult of working age.  The new reforms impact unevenly across the country. Older industrial areas, less prosperous seaside towns, some London boroughs and a number of other towns are hit hardest. By contrast, much of southern England a London escapes lightly.  At the extremes, Blackburn and Blackpool in Lancashire each lose £560 per working age adult as a result of the post-2015 reforms, compared to £150 in Guildford in Surrey, £140 in Richmond upon Thames, and just £130 in Hart district in Hampshire.

Beatty C. and Fothergill S. (2005) The diversion from ‘unemployment’ to ‘sickness’ across British regions and districts, Regional Studies 39 , 837–854. Around 2.7 million non‐employed adults of working age in the UK claim sickness‐related benefits, and the numbers have risen steeply over time. The very large variation in the numbers across districts and regions points strongly to extensive hidden unemployment, especially in older industrial areas affected by job losses. This paper builds on two previous papers by the same authors – one dealing with the theoretical framework and the other with a local case study – to present wholly new estimates of the scale of the diversion across all parts of the country. It also questions contemporary perceptions of the UK labour market and the validity of current approaches to re‐engaging sickness claimants with employment.Unemployment, Sickness, Social Security, Districts, Chômage, Maladie, Sécurité sociale, Districts, Erwerbslosigkeit, Krankheit, Sozialhilfe, Distrikte, Desempleo, Incapacidad laboral, Seguridad social, Distritos, JEL classifications: J64, J68, R23,

Almost the whole of the British coal industry has closed since the early 1980s. The authors assess the extent to which the areas once dependent on coalmining have adapted to this job loss. À labour-market accounting' approach is employed to document the principal changes in employment, unemployment, commuting, and activity rates among men in the English and Welsh coalfields over the period to 2004, building on previous similar research covering the period 1981^91. The authors point to a strong recovery of employment among men in these areas, though this is not yet on a scale to offset all the coal job losses and there is important variation between areas. There is also evidence of extensive and continuing`hidden unemployment'.