Local MP Mark Pawsey has welcomed last week’s figures showing that unemployment has dropped to its lowest national rate since 2005, with 2.5 million more people across the United Kingdom back in work having the security of a regular pay packet than in 2010.
Today there are 173,000 more people in work across the West Midlands and in Rugby the number of people claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance and Universal Credit has fallen by 1,208 – a 61% per cent drop – since 2010.
The figures also show that wages are continuing to grow, with average total pay up 2.3 per cent while annual inflation remains close to flat, and that the jobs growth is being fuelled by full-time work. With the level of unemployed at the lowest level in a decade and the proportion of 16-24 year olds who have left full-time education and are unemployed has never been lower, the figures show that the number of people in work remains at record levels.
Commenting Mark said:
“Today’s figures show the number of people in Rugby and Bulkington relying on Jobseeker’s Allowance and Universal Credit has fallen by 1,208 since 2010 – a 61% drop. Here in Rugby our local economy continues to go from strength to strength with investment, opportunities and jobs being created.”
Mark continued:
“Our long-term plan is delivering more security, transforming life chances and providing opportunities that give families here in Rugby the best chance to get on in life. Each new job means that worker, and their family, have the security of a pay packet.”
Mark concluded:
“With Britain facing a dangerous cocktail of risks, it’s more important than ever to stick with the Government’s plan to fix our finances, as we deliver on our manifesto commitments and deliver security for families in Rugby.”
Key statistics
• Employment: 31.6 million (up 55,000 over the past three months and up 2.5 million since 2010).
• Employment rate: 74.2 per cent (up 0.8 points over the past year and up 4 points since 2010).
• Unemployment: 1.67 million (down 148,000 over the past year and down 839,000 since 2010).
• Unemployment rate: 5 per cent (down 0.5 points over the past year and down 2.9 points since 2010).