Figures released today by the House of Commons library show another drop in the unemployment totals in Harrogate and Knaresborough.
There were 1,695 people claiming employment-related benefits in October 2021 compared to 1,745 in the previous month.
This represents an unemployment rate of 2.8 per cent – two per cent lower than the national rate.
The youth unemployment figures locally showed a significant drop too with only 250 people claiming unemployment-related benefits in October compared to 280 in September.
Local MP Andrew Jones commented:
These are remarkable figures and represent our first indication that the end of furlough has not led to an increase in unemployment. Locally we can see that the hospitality industry is doing well. Occupancy in hotels and guest houses is high, footfall in the town centre is heavy and more people are attending conferences and exhibitions.
This does not mean we can be complacent. Our economy is still recovering from the global shock of COVID-19 and the pandemic has not gone away. Amid that caution, the fact that more people are earning to support themselves and their families is something we should celebrate.
