The term is not new but is broadly used to describe those people who are not registered as unemployed or on Jobseekers Allowance but who would still like to work - given the right circumstances, opportunity and support. The term therefore describes people who may be receiving no benefits at all and are not officially classified as unemployed, or they may be receiving Carer’s Allowance or an Ill-health benefit such as Incapacity Benefit or the new Employment Support Allowance.

Around 2.3 million (or one in four people) aged 50 to state pension age are what is known as ‘economically inactive’ - of these around one million are thought to fall into the ‘hidden unemployed’ category.

(July 2009)