Justin Tomlinson has welcomed this week’s figures showing that there are 231,000 more people in work across the South West and 2.7 million more people across the United Kingdom back in work than in 2010, meaning that more families across North Swindon have the security of a regular pay packet.
In North Swindon, the number of people claiming the key out of work benefits has fallen by 1,360 - a 63% drop – since 2010.
With the employment rate at a record high, the female employment rate at its highest since records began and the proportion of young people who have left full-time education and are unemployed at its lowest ever rate, today’s figures show that the unemployment rate nationally has dropped to below 5% – the lowest since 2005. Locally, the rate is just 1.4%
Justin Tomlinson MP said: "Because of the decisions the Conservatives have taken over the past six years, the fundamentals of our economy are strong and will continue to be strong. Today’s figures show that employment is growing across all the regions and nations of the United Kingdom as we build a Britain that works for everyone. The number of people locally relying on the key out of work benefits has fallen by 1,360 since 2010 – a 63% drop. As the number of workless households is down to an all-time low, we are delivering more economic security and providing opportunities that give families in North Swindon the best chance in life. Our job now is to build on this success story and create an economy that works for everyone, so people can benefit from the opportunities that are being created regardless of who they are or where they live."
Key statistics
- Employment: 31.7 million (up 624,000 over the past year and up 2.7 million since 2010).
- Employment rate: 74.4% (up 1.0 points over the past year and up 4.2 points since 2010).
- Unemployment: 1.65 million (down 201,000 over the past year and down 864,000 since 2010).
- Unemployment rate: 4.9% (down 0.7 points over the past year and down 3.0 points since 2010).
- Claimant count (Jobseeker’s Allowance and Universal Credit not in work): 759,100 in June (down 33,900 on last year and down 735,700 since 2010).
- Wages: Pay before bonuses pay rose 2.2% over the last year with private sector pay up 2.4%. Inflation over the same period remained low.
Other useful statistics:
- The rate of employment is 74.4% – the highest since comparable records began in 1971.
- The Claimant count rate is close to its lowest level in over 40 years.
- The unemployment rate is 4.9% – the lowest in over a decade.
- The female employment rate is at 69.6% – the highest since comparable records began in 1971.
- At 5.6%, the proportion of 16-24 year olds who have left full-time education and are unemployed has never been lower.
- There are nearly 750,000 vacancies across the country.
- 86% of 16-24 year olds are in full time study or work – the highest proportion on record.
- 3 million people with a disability are now in employment – up 365,000 over the last two years.
- Private sector employment is now at 26.2 million – up nearly 3 million 2010.
