Over the past 12 months the Harrogate & Knaresborough district has shown the biggest decrease in claimants of any constituency in the country. According to figures released by the Department for Work and Pensions the number of claimants has decreased by one-third.
Figures for Harrogate and Knaresborough Constituency – April 2013
- Total claimants 1028, down 507 or 33% from April 2012
- For the 18 to 24 age group there are 170 claimants which is down 165 or 49.3% from April 2012
- People claiming over 12 months are 200 a reduction of 105 or 34.4% from April 2012
Figures for Skipton and Ripon Constituency – April 2013
- Total claimants 862, down 305 or 26,1% from April 2012
- For the 18 to 24 age group there are 190 claimants which is down 115 or 37.7% from April 2012
- People claiming over 12 months are 215 a reduction of 25 or 10.4% from April 2012
Local MP Andrew Jones has welcomed figures showing that the fall in the number of people claiming Job Seekers Allowance (JSA) – the most commonly used measure of unemployment – in the Harrogate and Knaresborough constituency has fallen to its lowest level since May 2010.
Commenting on the figures Mr Jones said:
These figures confirm a trend since 2010 of reducing unemployment in the Harrogate & Knaresborough constituency. This also includes a huge drop in the number of youth unemployed which is today at its lowest level since May 2010 with only 170 people aged between 18 and 24 claiming Job Seekers Allowance in this constituency.
Our local economy is performing well despite the challenging economic times the country continues to face. The increased level of economic activity is reflected in our unemployment rate. Over the last year the number of Job Seekers Allowance claimants has dropped by a third – the largest drop by quite some way of any constituency in the country. This means more people in work and more families with a breadwinner.
While this is good news I recognise that progress still needs to be made to support every person without work and every family without a wage coming in. We need to ensure that the skills employers need in our area are available, that the kind of accommodation businesses need is available and that we publicise the attractiveness of our area for business so that they start here or move here and then grow here providing jobs and growth in our local economy.
