U.K. Claimant Unemployment At Its Lowest Level for Over Thirty Years

New figures out today show unemployment continuing to fall, with 11,000 fewer people claiming unemployment benefit than this time last month, record numbers in work and the number of vacancies in the UK economy swelling to 680,000.

At the same time over 250 businesses have now committed to working with government to form Local Employment Partnerships (LEPs), helping those longer term benefit claimants move off welfare and into work.

Welcoming the figures Employment Minister Caroline Flint said “It’s great to see the number claiming unemployment benefit fall for the fourteenth month in a row to reach its lowest level for over thirty years. Work is the best route out of poverty and with over 250 companies working with us, more long term benefit claimants can fill some of the 680,000 job vacancies. A decade ago too many people were being written off, their talents wasted and skills ignored. Now these people are among the record numbers in work, contributing to the economy and supporting their families.”

Employment rose by 114 thousand on the quarter and 226 thousand on the year. There are now 29.3 million people in work, the highest figure on record.

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