New figures show rising number of Universal Credit claimants in Peterborough despite high number of job vacancies

​Employers in Peterborough together have more than 600 job vacancies they are struggling to fill, according to new figures.

​While the number of vacancies has slipped over the last month, officials at the Department of Work and Pensions say the need for more staff is still higher at many companies.

In Peterborough the number of job vacancies has dropped from 625 in August to 609 last month.

Across Cambridgeshire there are still 1,784 advertised jobs in Cambridgeshire that need filling.

However, new data also shows that the number of people in Peterborough claiming Universal Credit and looking for work has increased.

The figures show the total number of claimants rose from 7,186 people in August to 7,351 last month.

A large proportion of claimants were aged 18 to 24-years-old with the numbers rising from 4,567 to 4,624 people over the same period.

Julia Nix, district manager for East Anglia Jobcentre Plus, said: “There do not appear to be as many vacancies as there were but the figure is still high and we are working hard to fill them. However, we are not seeing any redundancies.

She added: “We are particularly concerned about the number of claimants aged 18 to 24 and are focused on them. Tailored support from work coaches is vital so jobseekers are able to reach their full potential.”

A Jobs Fair will be held on November 14 from10am to noon at Peterborough Town Hall focused on Christmas retail and hospitality employers.