Growth in claims for out-of-work benefits
● UNEMPLOYMENT increased in Halton during February according to latest monthly Office For National Statistics (ONS) figures.
The out-of-work benefits claimant count for all working age adults increased from 2,440 in January to 2,630, a rise of 7.8%.
Among the 18 to 24 age group, the number also climbed, from 525 to 550 or 4.8%, but down from 600 in February 2016, a drop of 8.3%.
Halton’s overall claimant count also grew year-on-year, rising 14.6% from 2,295 to 2,630.
However, Clive Morris, Jobcentre Plus spokesman, said the increase can be explained by the way the figures are counted due to the complete roll-out of Universal Credit in Halton.
He said it was likely the borough’s unemployment rate would have followed the same downward trend as the rest of the Liverpool City Region.
Mr Morris added that the ONS is looking into changing the way it measures unemployment due to the roll-out of Universal Credit.
He said the drop in youth unemployment was a ‘real positive’ and ‘very strong’.
More employment opportu- nities are expected to be created in the borough with the opening of LPW Technology’s headquarters in Widnes, which is relocating from Runcorn to allow expansion in a £20m investment project predicted to generate 120 jobs, Mr Morris said.
The figures came as ONS published separate figures showing 3% of North West workers in employment were in zero hour contracts, the same as the average for England and slightly higher than the 2.8% UK average.
Across the North West, the Government declared record levels of employment among women.
Damian Hinds, employment minister, said: “I’m delighted by another set of record-breaking figures showing more people in work than ever before and unemployment falling to its lowest in 12 years.
“It’s good news in the North West where the number of women in work has risen by 41,000 over the past year to a near record high of 1.63m women in work. “But we have more to do, which is why we’re pressing ahead with our welfare reforms to ensure that it always pays to be in work.” ●