North East unemployment rate has gone down

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The number of people employed within the North East has risen, which has brought the regional unemployment rate down.

Employment in the North East stands at 69.8 per cent – an increase of 38,000 over the quarter and 23,000 over the year, which compares to 74 per cent of people employed nationally.

Paul Carbert, Policy Advisor at the North East Chamber of Commerce (NECC), said: “After the particularly worrying labour statistics released towards the end of last year, it certainly looks as though our region is starting to turn a corner. The North East has seen the largest rise in employment in the country, reporting 1.7 per cent over the last three months.

“These results are better news than we have seen for a while. Nevertheless, they also highlight a potential disparity between the regions of the Northern Powerhouse.

“The unemployment rate in the North West fell to 5.0 per cent, which is below the national average, compared to an unemployment rate of 6.2 per cent in Yorkshire & the Humber and 7.9 per cent in the North East. Leaders may need to bear this in mind before labelling all Northern regions as one.”

The employment rate for men is up by 5.8 per cent to 54.2 per cent. However, the equivalent figure for women is down by 2.4 per cent to 48 per cent.

Unemployment in the North East stands at 7.9 per cent – a fall of 6,000 over the quarter and 6,000 over the year – where the national rate stands at 5.1 per cent nationally.

The North East still has the highest unemployment rate in the UK, although this rate has decreased by 0.6 per cent.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) Employment Minister Priti Patel said: “This is a record-breaking set of figures – and has got 2016 off to a fantastic start.

“There are now more people in work than ever before and wages are growing consistently – a credit to hardworking Brits and businesses alike.
 “The North East has seen the largest quarterly growth in its employment rate of any UK region.”
Today’s statistics do not include the most recent job losses in the steel industry.

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