No comparisons for unemployment figures
STATISTICIANS are to review how to gauge unemployment in Halton after another month in which Universal Credit has been blamed for not being able to measure levels of joblessness.
Clive Morris, of Jobcentre Plus, said there was still no way to compare data to find out whether there are more jobseekers or fewer.
The Department For Work And Pensions (DWP) has now been making the same claim for several months following the rollout of Universal Credit full service in Halton, which was one of the first places to switch from the previous benefits system.
Mr Morris has previously said one of the issues is that Universal Credit figures include more residents who are in some form of work.
According to Office For National Statistics data, the number of work-related benefits claimants jumped from 2,090 in June 2016 to 3,190 in June 2017.
Month on month, the figure increased from 3,160 in May.
For young adults, the ● number rose slightly from 650 claimants in May to 665 in June.
Meanwhile the DWP said there were record levels of residents in work across the North West, and a record UK employment rate of 74.9%.
Damian Hinds, employment minister, said: “These latest statistics are another reminder that our strong economy is giving record numbers of people the chance to find and stay in work.
“At 74%, the employment rate is at a joint record high, while at 4.3% the unemployment rate in the North West is lower than the national rate of 4.5%.”