Peterborough unemployment claimant count rises by more than 200

The latest claimant count for the city is 1,850, up from 1,640 the month before.

For young people the number of claimants has gone up from 365 to 425.

A year ago those figures were 1,860 and 410.

Stephen Lankester of Jobcentre Plus said the rise in the last month could be down to more people moving onto Universal Credit (UC).

UC is given to anyone claiming one of six benefits - Jobseeker’s Allowance, housing benefit, working tax credit, child tax credit, income-related Employment and Support Allowance and income support.

Nationally, the unemployment rate fell to 4.7 per cent.

Employment remains at a joint-record high rate of 74.6 per cent, with 31.85 million people now in work, while wages have grown by 2.2 per cent.

Minister for Employment Damian Hinds said: “I’m delighted by another set of record-breaking figures showing more people in work than ever before and unemployment falling to its lowest in 12 years.

“There’s good news in the East of England where there’s a near record number of people in work at 3.02 million and a near record high of 1.4 million women in work.

“But we have more to do, which is why we’re pressing ahead with our welfare reforms to ensure that it always pays to be in work.”

Hundreds of jobs will be available at a jobs fair in Peterborough Town Hall tomorrow (Thursday, March 16) from 10am to 3pm.