Liverpool. Photo: Ida Husøy
The number of people claiming jobseeker’s allowance in Liverpool has fallen, according to the Office for National Statistics.
Data released this morning shows the 42,996 people claiming the benefits across the Liverpool region has fallen to 42,881.
Although only a small fall in the figures, Employment minister and Conservative MP for Wirral, Esther McVey, said she is satisfied.
She said: “The North West saw its unemployment rate fall to 8.1% over the last year – lower than London’s, which shows that the growing economy is helping people to find new opportunities and turn their lives around.
“The rise in employment nationally is being fuelled by businesses and entrepreneurs across the country who are feeling increasingly confident with the improving economy.”
This echoes the recent news that Bold Street celebrated its most successful financial year last year, with over 11 new businesses opening on the famous city street.
As well as this, recruitment at all four of the city’s universities was at an all-time high in September 2013, with the University of Liverpool claiming a recruitment surge of 18% compared to the previous year. This rise comes despite the increased tuition fees.
Ged Gibbons, chief executive of the City Central Business Improvement District, explained that the rise in students would mean more money being spent in the city.
He said “We have a student population around the city centre of approximately 50,000 – that’s a potential spending population bigger than most towns.”
Just because the claimant count is down it does NOT mean they are in work.
How many have been sanctioned for ian smiffs targets of sanctions?
I`ve got a job, but it start date was delayed by company for two weeks. I was still nearly sanctioned for no reason what so ever. I had to prove AGAIN what I`d been doing looking for work. I showed just how much I`d been doing, even though I`ve got a full time job beating hundreds of applicants to it. They wanted me to look for another! After I showed them all the `jobs` that I applied for, they reluctantly agreed and paid me.
They are smiffys` henchmen/women. Why, do people think the claimant count is going down and the foodbanks are going UP?