Shropshire unemployment figure grows
Dole queues in Shropshire are getting longer again, after an increase in the number of people in the county who are out of work last month.
The number of people in the county who are claiming unemployment benefits grew from 2,015 to 2,035 in May – the fourth month out of the last five the county has seen an increase in the figure.
But Telford achieved its first decrease in unemployment for five months, as its claimant county fell from 2,035 to 2,020.
The figures mean Shropshire has a claimant rate of 1.1 per cent, while Telford's is 1.9 per cent – both lower than the West Midlands figure of 2.4 per cent.
Gareth Niblett, from Shropshire's Job Centres, said there had been no significant decline in the number of jobs being advertised.
"The number of vacancies we are receiving is pretty steady," he said.
"The number of vacancies nationally is up by 9,000 on the previous quarter, and by 24,000 compared to 2010, so the position is good."
He added that abattoirs operator ABP has advertised a number of positions recently, while recruitment agency Best Connection has been looking to fulfil "large" contracts with production operatives – factory workers – in particular demand.
Powys saw a fall in unemployment, with the number of people claiming the various forms of benefit down from 795 to 760 last month.
The national claimant count increased by 7,300 last month to 802,600, said the Office for National Statistics.
Overall, almost 32 million people are in work – 372,000 more than a year ago and the highest total since records began in 1971.
But the ONS also reported a fall in average earnings, which grew by 2.1 per cent in the year to April, down by 0.2 per cent on the previous month.
The fall was greater when measured over a three-month period, confirming that wages are falling behind the 2.9 per cent inflation rate.
Matt Hughes, senior statistician at the ONS, said: "Many labour market indicators remain strong, with the employment rate at a joint record high and the inactivity rate at a joint record low.
"On the other hand, with wage growth continuing to slow and inflation still rising, real pay is down on the year. This is now the case whether or not bonuses are taken into account."
