Local MPs, Justin Tomlinson and Robert Buckland, have welcomed the news that unemployment and youth unemployment across Swindon has fallen dramatically since the General Election.
Data released today by the Office for National Statistics shows that unemployment across the two constituencies which cover Swindon is down by 34.8% since May 2010 and youth unemployment has fallen by around 37.4%. Month-on-month data and annual statistics continue to show falls in the level of unemployment across the town. Nearly 1,450 people across Swindon have found employment and the security that comes with a regular pay cheque.
More than 1.8 million people nationally have found work since May 2010 of which 1.33 million are working full-time. The employment level continues to rise and this month hit an all-time high of 30.61 million people in work.
Key achievements under this Government
- Employment: 30.6 million (up 74,000 this quarter and up 1.8 million since the election)
- Employment rate: 73% (up 0.1% this quarter and up 2.7% since the election)
- Unemployment: 2.02 million (down 146,000 this quarter and down 475,000 since the election)
- Youth unemployment: Down by 213,000 on the year (Biggest fall since records began)
- Unemployment rate: 6.2% (down 0.4% this quarter and down 1.8% since the election)
- Claimant count: 966,500 in August (down 37,200 on July and down 528,300 since the election)
- Full-Time Employment: Up 589,000 on year. Nearly 1.33 million more people working full time since 2010
- On average over 15,000 more people are in work each week
- Female employment: Up 768,000 since 2010
- 90% of new jobs this quarter were FULL-TIME – 84% of new jobs over the year were full time
Justin Tomlinson MP said: "Once again, unemployment is down in North Swindon meaning it has fallen by an enormous 47.3% since May 2010, while youth unemployment is down by nearly 45%. Thanks to the hard-work of local employers and employees, our town is thriving and with the town centre development ongoing, there is more to come. However, there is still more to do and we have a long-term plan to reduce unemployment further, create jobs and increase prosperity across Swindon”.
Robert Buckland MP said: "The ONS data once again shows that unemployment and youth unemployment are down in South Swindon. Across our town and across the country, more people are finding work than ever before and this is not only helping to grow our economy, but is also providing security for millions of people in the UK”.
Employment Minister, Esther McVey MP said: "Today’s strong jobs numbers show our long-term economic plan is working, building a stronger, healthier economy, where more people have the security of work. To make this happen we have been backing businesses with better infrastructure and lower jobs taxes to create more jobs as part of our plan, while driving a programme of welfare reform. It’s clear from these figures that it’s working, with the number of people claiming JSA below one million for the first time since 2008, and near record levels of employment. There is still more to do and the biggest risk to families’ economic security would be abandoning the plan which is getting us there”.
Below are a series of graphs showing the falls in unemployment and youth unemployment across Swindon since May 2010 (Source: Office of National Statistics)
