Worcester MP Robin Walker has hailed the continued fall in unemployment both locally and nationally, with the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) putting Worcester’s jobless rate at just 1.5% – the lowest it has been since January 2016.
The figures show that unemployment in Worcester has more than halved since 2013, and has seen a 61% drop since 2010 when Robin Walker was first elected MP for the city. Nationally, the number of people in work is at the highest level since records began in 1971.
The record figures have been driven by increases in the number of people in secure work – over 75% of the increase in employment over the past 7 years has been in full-time work. There are now 338,000 more people across the country in work compared to this time last year.
The figures also show:
- the employment rate is at a record high of 75.1%, with 32.07 million people now in work – an increase of 338,000 on the year
- this year has been a strong one for employment growth with 247,000 more people now in work since January
- there are a near record 768,000 vacancies in the economy at any one time
- the female employment rate is at a record high of 70.5%, with over 15 million women in work
- youth unemployment is down by 394,000 since 2010
- there are more British people in work than ever before and around 9 in 10 people in jobs are UK nationals
- the UK employment rate is now the 4th highest in the European Union and 7 percentage points higher than the EU28 average
Minister for Employment, Damian Hinds said:
“These statistics show that record levels of people are in work across the country and earning a wage, which is great news.”
“Over 3 million more people are in work now than in 2010, with 7 in 10 of these roles being in higher skilled work.”
“Over the past year the rise in employment has been overwhelmingly driven by permanent and full-time jobs, as employers continue to invest in Britain’s strong economy.”
“The task now is to build on this success through Jobcentre Plus and our employment programmes so that everybody can benefit from the opportunities being created.”
Commenting on the latest figures, Robin said:
“It is welcome news indeed to see the unemployment rate in Worcester down to the lowest it’s been in 18 months. That marks a considerable drop of 61% since 2010 when I was first elected.”
“Reducing the jobless rate has been a key priority of mine for many years, and therefore I am glad to see the economy growing and the very real and tangible effects that has for people in Worcester. That so much of the growth in employment has been in full-time work is further evidence of business confidence, and I welcome the stability this brings to the job market.”
“We’ve also seen today that wages are up by more than 2% from the same period last year, demonstrating the Government’s commitment to delivering an economy that provides not just more jobs, but also better-paid jobs.”