Shropshire unemployment figure rises, bucking national trend

The figures from the Office for National Statistics showed that in the Shropshire Council area, the claimant count increased by 75 to 2,050, meaning that 1.1 per cent of the workforce was receiving jobless benefits.

However, five fewer people claimed unemployment related benefits in Telford & Wrekin last month – taking the total to 1,820. This represents 1.7 cent of the workforce.

The 670 people claiming benefits in Powys was up 30 from last month's figure, leaving the mid Wales county with a claimant rate of 0.9 per cent.

In the West Midlands, unemployment was up 6,000 to 155,000 on the figure for June to August 2017. Compared to the same September to November quarter in 2016 the regional unemployment figure was down 6,000.

Nationally, the number of people in work has reached a record high amid strong demand for workers, although the real value of pay continues to decline.

There were just over 32.2 million people in employment in the three months to November, an increase of 102,000 on the previous quarter and the biggest total since records began in 1971.

Gareth Niblett, Job Centre customer services manager for Shropshire, said: "It has been a mixed bag with unemployment up in Shropshire and down in Telford.

"But the figures are positive for young people aged between 18 and 24 in the county.

"In Telford unemployment has dropped by 40 down to 475, while in Shropshire the number has dropped by 15 also to 475.

"There is no real reason for the overall increase in unemployment. But it is the time of year when people have finished temporary seasonal work.

"We are doing a lot of work with Telford College and Telford & Wrekin Council, are are organising a construction careers event.

"Lidl are are building a new store in Shrewsbury and there are 20 vacancies. Jobs are online at the moment.

Claimant count

"We have also been working with Telford College on a HGV driver course. Twenty-two customers have started and hopefully after they have got their HGV licence we will be able to match them up with employers."

The UK's employment rate is now at a joint record high of 75.3 per cent, reported the ONS.

Unemployment fell by 3,000 to 1.44 million, which is 160,000 lower than a year ago.

The claimant count, which includes people on Jobseeker's Allowance and the unemployment element of Universal Credit, increased by 8,600 last month to 832,500.

Average earnings increased by 2.5 per cent in the year to November, unchanged from the previous month, although pay is still growing at less the rate of inflation.

The number of people classed as economically inactive, including students, those on long-term sick leave, taken early retirement or who have given up looking for work, fell by 79,000 to 8.7 million, the lowest since the winter of 2000-01.

Job vacancies were up by 17,000 to a record 810,000.

ONS statistician David Freeman said: "With the employment rate returning to a joint record high and the number of vacancies setting a new record, demand for workers clearly remains strong.

"Moreover, economic inactivity is at its lowest since the winter of 2000-01.

"Nevertheless, inflation remains higher than pay growth and so the real value of earnings continues to decline."

The rise in employment has been driven by full-time jobs, with the number of self-employed falling by 82,000 in the latest quarter to 4.77 million, the biggest cut since 2004.

Economic inactivity has fallen by 167,000 over the past year, with a big fall among the long-term sick.