Tim Loughton MP (East Worthing and Shoreham) has welcomed the news that the number of people in work across the UK remains at a record high, and the rate of women in work is at the highest level since comparable records began, showing the fundamentals of our economy remain strong. According to today’s figures there are 331,009 more people back in work in South East since 2010.
In East Worthing and Shoreham the number of people claiming the key out of work benefits has fallen by 902 – a 56 per cent drop – since 2010.
As well as the employment continuing at a record-high, today’s figures show that the unemployment rate is holding steady, and average wages are growing ahead of inflation.
Tim said:
“Today sees overall employment remain at record highs, and the number of young people in work remains high, but there is more to do. I welcome the news that the Government is rolling out the Jobcentre Plus Support for Schools scheme in England which will give tens of thousands of young people help in taking their first steps into the world of work.
“The number of people in East Worthing and Shoreham relying on the key out of work benefits has fallen by 902 since 2010 – a 56% drop – as businesses are able to get more people into work, helped by the decisions Conservatives have taken to strengthen our economy.
“But we know there is more to do to build an economy that works for everyone, and we will continue to work hard to help even more people benefit from the opportunities in our economy.”
• On 19 October 2016, the ONS published labour market statistics for the three months to August 2016 and the Claimant Count (Jobseeker’s Allowance and Universal Credit, not in work) figures for September 2016 (ONS, Labour Market Statistics, 19 October 2016).
Key statistics
• Employment: 31.81 million (up 560,000 over the past year and up 2.8 million since 2010).
• Employment rate: 74.5 per cent (up 0.9 points over the past year and up 4.3 points since 2010).
• Unemployment: 1.66 million (down 118,000 over the past year and down 853,000 since 2010).
• Unemployment rate: 4.9 per cent (down 0.4 points over the past year and down 3.0 points since 2010).
• Claimant count (Jobseeker’s Allowance and Universal Credit searching for work): 776,000 in September (down 15,700 on last year and down 718,400 since 2010).
• Wages: Pay including bonuses rose 2.3 per cent over the last year with private sector pay (including bonuses) increasing 2.3 per cent.
Other useful statistics:
• The rate of employment remains at 74.5 per cent – the highest since comparable records began in 1971.
• Claimant count rate is 2.3 per cent of the workforce – close to the lowest since 1975.
• The unemployment rate remains at 4.9 per cent – the lowest in over a decade.
• The female employment rate is at 69.7 per cent – close to the highest since comparable records began in 1971.
• At 5.8 per cent, the proportion of 16-24 year olds who have left full-time education and are unemployed is close to the lowest on record.
• There are over 749,000 vacancies across the country.
• Nearly 86 per cent of 16-24 year olds are in full time study or work – close to its record high.
• Nearly 3.4 million people with a disability are now in employment – up nearly 500,000 over the last three years.
• Private sector employment is now at 26.4 million – up over 3 million 2010.