The latest unemployment figures for the Harrogate and Knaresborough constituency show a year-on-year decrease in those claiming unemployment benefits despite a small increase on the figures from last month.
Figures from the government showed that there were 1,200 claimants locally which was 1.9 per cent of the working age population. This compares to a rate of 3.7 per cent nationally – ten lower than in January.
Youth unemployment decreased by 155 claimants year-on-year to just 160 in January. This is over one per cent lower than the national average.
Local MP Andrew Jones commented: “Despite the very small month-on-month increase it is reassuring that the year-on-year figure is downward.
“I have asked in Parliament about plans to support more disabled people into work to address the large discrepancy between unemployment rates in able-bodied and disabled claimants.”
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