Local MPs, Justin Tomlinson and Robert Buckland, have joined forces to welcome the latest unemployment statistics which show unemployment across Swindon has fallen by more than 50% the General Election.
The data, from the Office for National Statistics, shows that across the two constituencies which cover Swindon, unemployment is down by 53.7% since May 2010, and youth unemployment has fallen by around 37.4%. This means that 2,590 people across Swindon have found employment and the security that comes with a regular pay cheque and 7,400 more people across the town are employed today than four years ago.
Nationally, more than 1.8 million people have found work since May 2010 and 85% of the jobs started in the last year were full time. Importantly, the unemployment rate has fallen to 6% (down from 8% in 2010), reaching the independent Office of Budget Responsibility’s target more than two years early.
Headline National Figures
- Employment: 30.8 million (up 112,000 this quarter and up 1.7 million since the election).
- Employment rate: 73% (up 0.2% this quarter and up 2.8% since the election).
- Unemployment: Down 115,000 this quarter and down 550,000 since the election
- Unemployment rate: 6.0% (down 0.3% this quarter and down 2% since the election).
- Claimant count: 931,700 in October (down 20,400 on September and down 563,100 since the election).
Employment Summary
- All-time record number of people in work (30.8M) - average of 13,000 more people finding work every single week over the last year
- Employment up by 694,000 on last year
- Unemployment down by half a million since 2010
- Unemployment rate now at 6% (down from 8% since May 2010). Reaching OBR’s initial estimate of 6% over two years early
- Biggest annual fall in long-term unemployment in 16 years – down by 206,000.
- Biggest annual fall in female unemployment on record
- Record number of women now in work
- Youth unemployment down 244,000 on year
- Number of 18-24 year olds claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance 210,000 down on 2010 & at lowest level since the 1970s
- 85% of the 694,000 new jobs over last year are full-time
- UK has seen the largest growth in the employment rate and the largest fall in the unemployment rate in the G7
- Number of people who have found work in the UK since May 2010 greater than the other 27 EU Member States combined (via Eurostat – official EU Statistics body)
Justin Tomlinson MP said: "The latest statistics show another fall in unemployment across Swindon and that the number of people out of work in our town has been halved in just four years. Unemployment across North Swindon has fallen by 55.5% since May 2010 and with this we are seeing increased growth and prosperity for our town. We are supporting more young people into employment and training and that is supplementing our excellent sixth forms and the new UTC!”
Robert Buckland MP said: "Once again, unemployment and youth unemployment in Swindon are down. Unemployment has been more than halved since the general election in Swindon and importantly we have 7,400 more people in employment than four years ago. Our town continues to grow and these statistics are the latest evidence that our long-term economic plan is working!”
Below are a series of graphs showing the falls in unemployment and youth unemployment across Swindon since May 2010 (Source: Office of National Statistics)
