The number of people in Northampton claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance has slightly decreased despite national figures showing a rise in unemployment.
ONS figures released today showed 15,000 more people were unemployed in the UK three months to the end of March, with the unemployment rate now at 7.8 per cent.
However, Jobseeker’s Allowance claimants fell by 7,300 last month to 1.52 million.
In Northampton there were 122 fewer claimants in April compared with March.
Nationally, average earnings increased by 0.4 per cent in the year to March, compared with a rate of 0.8 per cent in the previous month.
Employment Minister, Mark Hoban, said businesses were doing their best in a “difficult economic backdrop”.
He said: “It’s a credit to businesses that the private sector is employing one and a quarter million more people than when this Government took office, helping us compete in the global race.
“Today’s figures show that, against a difficult economic backdrop, we’re helping people to move off benefits and into work.”