Rise in the number of unemployed in Yorkshire

New figures for Yorkshire and the Humber show 241,000 people, or 8.7 per cent, are still out of work – a figure that has risen by 1,000 in the last quarter.

But the Government welcomed national figures, which showed a record number of 30 million people are now in work – a rise of 459,000 from a year ago and the highest figure since records began in 1971.

Nationally, unemployment has fallen by 63,000 in the quarter to January to 2.33million, a rate of 7.2 per cent.

Prime Minister David Cameron said the number of jobs 
being created in the private 
sector was remarkable, and maintained that the government’s long-term economic plan was working.

Unions and the opposition pointed to the 900,000 young people still out of work, adding that many jobs were poorly paid and insecure.

The number of people claiming jobseeker’s allowance in February fell by 34,600 to 1.17million, the 16th consecutive monthly reduction, while vacancies jumped by 23,000 to 588,000, the most since 2008.

Speaking about the new figures, Employment Minister Esther McVey said: “We now have the highest employment rate for five years, which shows that the growing economy is helping record numbers of people to find a job, turn their lives around and have the security of a regular wage.

“The rise in employment is being fuelled by businesses and entrepreneurs across the country who are feeling increasingly confident with the improving economy.”

Rachel Reeves, shadow work and pensions secretary, and MP for Leeds West, said: “While today’s fall in overall unemployment is welcome, the figures show 912,000 young people are unemployed and long-term youth unemployment has doubled under David Cameron.

“It’s clear tens of thousands of young people are not feeling any recovery at all.”