Large fall in number of Job Seekers Allowance claimants
The number of people claiming Jobseekers Allowance in Devon has decreased by 8%, or 568 claimants, between February and March 2014.
The total number of claimants now stands at just 1.4% of Devon’s working age population, down from 1.6% in February 2014. This is roughly half the national rate of 2.9%.
Compared to March 2013, Devon’s claimant count last month was 3,108 claimants lower – a drop of 31.4%. Since last June, the number of people claiming JSA in Devon has been at its lowest level for 5 years and the rate is still dropping.
The national JSA claimant count also fell between February and March 2014 – although not as much as in Devon – and now stands at 2.9% of the UK’s working population. This is also at its lowest level for 5 years.
Although there has been a decline in unemployment in all of Devon’s districts over the past month, North Devon and Torridge have registered the greatest decrease in JSA claimants with numbers dropping by 11% and 10.3% respectively. The smallest decline was in Mid Devon, where JSA claimants decreased by 5%. However, this is to be expected due to a significant number of seasonal jobs coming on stream in North Devon.
After two consecutive months of small increases in youth unemployment, the number of JSA claimants in Devon aged 24 or under, decreased by 9.8% or 185 claimants in March 2014.
The youth JSA rate in Devon now stands at 26.3% of total JSA claimants which is slightly higher than the UK average of 25.2%. However, over the last 12 months, the number of JSA claimants aged 24 or under has fallen by 1,120 people (a fall of 39.6%) compared to March 2013.
The number of youth claimants in the UK as a whole fell by 29.8% over the same period, which is a notably smaller decrease than in Devon. Therefore, although youth unemployment remains higher in Devon than across the UK as a whole, there has been a much greater fall in the number of under-24s claiming JSA in Devon.
Youth unemployment remains highest in North Devon, where claimants under 24 make up 30% of JSA claimants. However, North Devon has also seen the greatest fall in JSA claimants under 24, with an 18% decrease (55 claimants). Teignbridge and Exeter have also registered significant decreases in the numbers of youth claimants, with falls of 12.5% and 11.3% respectively.
Councillor Andrew Leadbetter, Devon County Council Cabinet Member for Economy and Growth, said: “Although youth unemployment remains a significant issue, the fall in the numbers of young people claiming Jobseekers Allowance is extremely positive, especially given that the number of JSA claimants aged 24 and under in Devon is now at its lowest level for 5 years. However, there is still more which can be done through training, apprenticeships and employment opportunities and youth unemployment will remain a key priority.
"We have seen major reductions in unemployment over the past year and it’s also particularly encouraging that the total number of people claiming JSA in Devon is at its lowest level for 5 years, and is still falling. We hope this trend will continue.”
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