Unemployment down in region

THE percentage of people out of work in the East Midlands remains lower than the national picture, according to Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures.

And the gap widened again in the three months July to September, the latest data available, compared with three months earlier (April to June).

Unemployment in the East Midlands stood at 4.02 per cent for the latest period, compared with a national figure of 4.3 per cent - the same as last month and the lowest since records began in 1975.

Last month, unemployment per cent.

According to the ONS, 1,855 more people (2,236,663) were in work in the three months July to September than three months earlier (2,234,808).

The figures released also show the number of people claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance across Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire, was down in October compared with September.

Of the three counties and cities, only Derby showed a very small increase (ten) in the number of claimants month- regional was 4.2 on-month.

Overall, the number of claimants fell by 645 across the three counties from 32,350 to 31,705.

Scott Knowles, Chief Executive at East Midlands Chamber*, said: “The changes this month are all relatively small, but the positive message is that the East Midlands continues to set the example with yet another monthly fall in the number of Jobseeker’s Allowance claimants and a lower unemployment rate than the rest of the country.

“We would urge the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Philip Hammond, in his Budget next week, to recognise the continued success of the East Midlands - which comes often despite Government policy rather than because of it - and not introduce any additional burdens or costs which could jeopardise what our businesses do.

“We would also remind him that this will be his penultimate Budget before the proposed EUleaving date of 29 March 2019 and we need to see evidence that the Government is planning to ensure the continued competitiveness of UK plc postBrexit.”