City’s fast shrinking dole queue

THE NUMBER of people on the dole in Hull has fallen to a record low.

Over the past three years, the number getting unemployment benefits has dropped by 7,150 people (12 per cent) to 6,290.

The fall means the current unemployment benefit claimant rate in Hull is the lowest it has ever been at 3.7 per cent.

At the same time the number of jobs (118,000) has increased for the fourth consecutive year.

Coun Martin Mancey said latest figures suggested there are now around 1,000 more jobs in Hull than the previous year. Major companies like Siemens and Reckitt Benckiser and smaller companies had helped by investing or expanding.