Numbers of people claiming out of work benefits in Shipley has fallen year on year – as youth unemployment remains the lowest across the district.
Figures today (WED) show 910 people were in receipt of the payments as of last month compared to 980 in February 2017. It means 1.5 per cent of people are out of work compared with 2.4 per cent in Yorkshire and Humber and 2.1 per cent nationally.
Young people ages 18 to 21 who are claiming remains low across Shipley at 115, the equivalent of 3.3 per cent, lower than the region’s average of 3.5 per cent and Bradford East 5.3, Bradford South 5.0 and Bradford West and Keighley at both 4.2 per cent.
Shipley MP Philip Davies said: “Any reduction is welcome but we cannot become complacent as there is always more to do. We need to get people who want and can work into jobs.
“I will keep fighting to ensure we have good transport links and infrastructure so the district is regenerated and we attract more businesses to the area, which in turn creates more jobs and helps our local economy.”
Nationally the numbers of unemployment benefit claimants stands at 838,000.
According to the Office of National Statistics figures, the employment rate is at 75.3 per cent – up from 74.6 per cent last year and the joint highest since records began.
Work and Pensions Secretary Esther McVey said government was committed to getting people into work.
She said: “Getting a job means securing an income for a family and the chance to build a better future. That’s why up and down the country we are doing all we can to help people into work.
“And from next month, we’ll be taking thousands more people out of paying tax and also increasing the National Living Wage, benefiting those on the lowest pay and making sure they keep more of what they earn.
“In fact by raising the National Living Wage we have ensured that the lowest earners have seen their wages grow by almost seven per cent above inflation since 2015.”
The DWP said in addition to the employment rate being at a record high, unemployment is at its lowest level since 1975.