Jobs boost for Hamilton

Unemployment drops

The number of people claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance has dropped across Hamilton.

According to the latest data, the year-on-year figures show 15 per cent fewer people are unemployed.

In May 2016 there were 716 people claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) and that had dropped to 608 a year later – a fall of 108.

The numbers relate to the town’s three council wards of Hamilton North and East, Hamilton South and Hamilton West and Earnock.

In May 2016 there were 227 people claiming JSA in Hamilton North and East – dropping to 186 a year later.

Hamilton South had 250 people claiming JSA in May 2016 – down to 210 in May 2017.

And in Hamilton West and Earnock there were 239 people claiming JSA in May 2016 – dropping to 212 a year later.

There was good news elsewhere in South Lanarkshire as the jobs market got a boost.

In Larkhall, the number of people claiming JSA dropped from 241 to 197 over the year.

The figure in Blantyre dropped from 264 to 226.

In Avondale and Stonehouse, the amount of people claiming JSA fell from 127 to 82.

However, in Bothwell and Uddingston, the number claiming JSA rose from 64 to 66.

Across South Lanarkshire, the number of people claiming JSA fell from 3287 in May 2016 to 2731 a year later – down 556 (16 per cent).

And in neighbouring North Lanarkshire, the number fell from 4101 to 3680 in the same period – a drop of 421 (10 per cent).

In May 2017, the number of people out of work across Scotland and claiming JSA was 48,200 and claimant count, including Universal Credit was 80,300.