Fewer are out of work

Latest job stats

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

According to the latest data, the year-on-year figures show 14 per cent fewer people are unemployed.

In November 2016 there were 593 people claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) and that had dropped to 507 a year later – a fall of 86.

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

In November 2016 there were 190 people claiming JSA in Hamilton North and East – dropping to 154 a year later.

Hamilton South had 208 people claiming JSA in November 2016 – down to 167 in November 2017.

And in Hamilton West and Earnock there were 195 people claiming JSA in November 2016 – dropping to 186 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 207 to 145 over the year.

The figure in Blantyre fell from 204 to 176.

In Avondale and Stonehouse, the amount of people claiming JSA went down from 87 to 78.

And in Bothwell and Uddingston, the number claiming JSA dropped from 68 to 53.

Across South Lanarkshire, the number of people claiming JSA fell from 2770 in November 2016 to 2205 a year later – down 565 (20 per cent).

And in neighbouring North Lanarkshire the figure was down 82 from 3394 to 3312 (2.4 per cent).