A study by Unison found the hardest hit area is the Isle of Wight with 24 jobseekers per vacancy.

London is also one of the worst hit areas with more than 10 unemployed people pursuing every job in nearly a third of the capital’s 32 boroughs.

In Hackney there are more than 20 claimants for every vacant job.

Unison said the findings expose the damaging scale of the jobs crisis and the urgent need for a bold strategy for growth and jobs in the forthcoming budget on 20 March.

Dave Prentis, Unison general secretary, said:

“Three long years of cuts – with more to come – and still there are not enough jobs to go around. The government has got it wrong on the recession and it has sacrificed our recovery. As well as laying waste to our public services, cuts have a stranglehold on the private sector.”

More than 500,000 public sector jobs have gone since the coalition came to power, and experts predict that the toll could reach 1.2 million by 2016-17.

Prentis added: “The government does have a choice. Use the budget to outline a bold strategy for jobs and growth. Make people feel secure in their jobs and they are more likely to spend. Give public sector workers a decent pay rise and more money will flow through tills in local shops and businesses, helping our beleaguered high streets.

“The most damaging thing the government could do is to plough on regardless with its reckless anti growth, no hope, cuts strategy.”