ABSTRACT
A more reliable gauge is available in the total number of Unemployment Books lodged at the Exchanges by the members of insured trades who have fallen out of work. There are three separate sources of unemployment statistics in Great Britain, none of which is in itself reliable for more than general conclusions, and each of which has advantages and disadvantages not shared by the other two. As unemployed work-people exhausted their rights to benefit many of them ceased to patronize the exchanges, and thereby went off the live register lists even though they remained completely unemployed. During the depression period the number of unemployed who, after exhausting benefit, went off the live register was much greater than the number withdrawing unemployment books. The insured trades curve, commonly exhibiting a higher unemployment before the 1920 Act, reflects a lower unemployment for most of the period since insurance was extended from the fluctuating trades to industry in general.
