Portsmouth and Gosport below national employment average

Statistics from data compiled by the Office for National Statistics has placed the city as one of 14 local authority areas in the south east that are below the UK’s average employment rate of 74 per cent.

Portsmouth has 101,600 people in employment with 71.9 per cent of the population employed according to the statistics.

Fareham, East Hampshire and Havant were all seen to be above the national rate, with employment rates of 81.4 per cent, 79.3 per cent and 75.6 per cent respectively.

Gosport finished just below the national rate at 73.2 per cent.

Paul Maloney, GMB Southern regional secretary said: ‘Several areas of the south east’s economy need to be thoroughly regenerated to bring to the areas new well paid jobs.

‘This regeneration should be part of a much-needed wider regeneration.’