Portsmouth beats national average as unemployment figures fall

PORTSMOUTH is beating the national average when it comes to getting people into work, new figures have shown.
Picture: Danny Lawson/PA WirePicture: Danny Lawson/PA Wire
Picture: Danny Lawson/PA Wire

Data released yesterday from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows 2,220 people in the city are unemployed, 60 fewer than last month.

It means 1.5 per cent of the city’s working age population is out of work, compared to the national average of 1.9.

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The number of young people aged 18 to 24 who are unemployed has also reduced, down 20 from last month to 365.

East Hampshire MP Damien Hinds. Picture: Damien HindsEast Hampshire MP Damien Hinds. Picture: Damien Hinds
East Hampshire MP Damien Hinds. Picture: Damien Hinds

Alison Alvey, from Ryde Job Centre, said: ‘There has been a downwards trend across the board. Much of this is down to the work we have been doing with local employers.’

Job Centre staff have been helping to fill vacancies at companies including TX Maxx, Premier Inn and Village Hotel Club, which is opening a new hotel in Western Road.

In Fareham there were 450 unemployed benefit claimants as of last month, with 95 being aged 18 to 24.

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There were 630 people registered unemployed in Gosport, with 165 aged between 18 and 24.

Picture: AP Photo/Alastair GrantPicture: AP Photo/Alastair Grant
Picture: AP Photo/Alastair Grant

And in Havant there are 1,120 people out of work, and 235 of those are aged 18 to 24.

Nationally the number of people in work has reached another all-time high, climbing 181,000 to 32.13 million between May and July.

Employment minister and East Hampshire MP Damien Hinds said the record figure was down to the ‘strength of the economy’.

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He said: ‘Britain’s employment success is largely about a growth in full-time and permanent work, as employers invest in Britain and offer quality job opportunities that put more money into people’s pockets.

East Hampshire MP Damien Hinds. Picture: Damien HindsEast Hampshire MP Damien Hinds. Picture: Damien Hinds
East Hampshire MP Damien Hinds. Picture: Damien Hinds

‘But there is more to do, and we will continue to build on our achievements through our employment programmes and the work of Jobcentre Plus.’

Matt Hughes, ONS senior statistician, said: ‘Another record high employment rate and record low inactivity rate suggest the labour market continues to be strong.’