Leicester’s unemployment figures rise slightly, but overall trend is encouraging
The number of people in Leicester claiming Jobseekers Allowance (JSA) rose by 446 last month, after falling to it’s lowest level since records began in December.
The total number rose to 10,638 in January, an increase of 4.35% on the record low number in December.
The increase has been blamed on the end of temporary jobs over the festive period, particularly in the retail and leisure industries – which has had the biggest impact on young people, with the number of JSA claimants among 18 to 24-year-olds increasing by 3.8 per cent to 2,285.
Despite the month-on-month rise, the new data is encouraging – as Anne Danvers of the New Walk Job Centre explains:
“The January figure is always seasonal and the number of claimants always tends to rise. But compared to January 2014, there are 6,000 fewer people claiming Jobseekers’ Allowance in Leicester and Leicestershire.”
Danvers goes on to say that the overall job market in Leicester and Leicestershire is very healthy:
“We are finding people are getting jobs a lot quicker than in the past because there are more jobs about.”
Some of the industries mentioned by Danvers that have a lot of jobs available include the hospitality, social care and warehousing sectors.
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