UNEMPLOYMENT Jobless stats down again

Fewer people are out of work

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

According to the latest data from the Department of Work and Pensions, the year-on-year figures show 41 per cent fewer people are unemployed.

In April 2017 there were 626 people claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) and that had dropped to 365 a year later – a fall of 261.

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

In April 2017 there were 196 people claiming JSA in Hamilton North and East – dropping to 115 a year later.

Hamilton South had 211 people claiming JSA in April 2017 – down to 107 in April 2018.

And in Hamilton West and Earnock there were 219 people claiming JSA in April 2017 – dropping to 143 a year later.

There was good news across the rest of South Lanarkshire too.

In Larkhall, the number of people claiming JSA dropped from 219 to 105 over the year.

The figure in Blantyre dropped from 224 to 118.

In Avondale and Stonehouse, the amount of people claiming JSA fell from 83 to 55.

And in Bothwell and Uddingston, the number claiming JSA dropped from 60 to 35.

Across South Lanarkshire, the number of people claiming JSA fell from 2823 in April 2017 to 1603 a year later – down 1220 (43 per cent).

However, in neighbouring North Lanarkshire the figure was up 273 from 3724 to 3997 (seven per cent).

Across Scotland, the number of people claiming JSA also dropped by 12 per cent over the year – down 6225 from 50,715 to 44,490.

In the same period, unemployment was down eight per cent across Great Britain – dropping by 42,331 from 483,355 to 441,024.

The Office for National Statistics says that the unemployment rate in Britain remains at a 40-year low, according to the latest figures, which were released this week.