The number of people claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance has fallen in every UK region over the last month, according to figures released today by the Office of National Statistics. The total number of people claiming the benefit is now lower than in May 2010.
This was part of an overall fall of 330,000 in the number of people claiming the main out of work benefits over the last three years.
According to the ONS, this was accompanied by a significant fall in unemployment of 57,000 on the quarter – a figure which included 20,000 fewer unemployed young people.
The statistics also show:
- the number of people in work rose by 16,000 over the last quarter
- the number of people in permanent jobs increased by 49,000 over the last quarter, more than offsetting falls in temporary and part time work
For March to May 2013, compared with December 2012 to February 2013,
- there was a small increase in the number of employed people,
- there was a fall in the number of unemployed people, and
- there was a rise in the number of economically inactive people aged from 16 to 64.
The number of people who had been unemployed for up to one year fell by 104,000, compared with a year earlier, to reach 1.59 million for March to May 2013.
The number of people who had been unemployed for over one year increased by 32,000 to reach 915,000, the highest figure since 1996. Looking in more detail at the 915,000 people who had been unemployed for over a year, just over half (474,000) had been unemployed for over two years, the highest figure since 1997.
