Employment levels still rising in Chesterfield latest figures show
The number of people in work in Chesterfield rose in December according to figures released this week.
Latest regional data from the Office for National Statistics showed that the number of people claiming job seekers allowance in the town fell from 1,300 to 1,270 over the month of December.
The figures are in line with national statistics which showed a record 32.2 million people in work (75.3%) for the quarter, a rise of 415,000 on a year earlier.
Regionally, the employment rate rose from 58.9% to 59.6% quarter-on-quarter, but was slightly down on the 60.4% recorded a year earlier.
Nationally, unemployment is at its lowest level since 1975.
Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Esther McVey, comments:-
“We had a record-breaking 2017 for employment and I’m delighted to see this trend continue as we enter the new year. The number of people in work is at an all-time high and the unemployment rate has not been this low for over 40 years.”
Regional figures show the unemployment rate at the end of November was 4.1%, 0.1% down on the previous quarter.
Chris Hobson, Director of Policy at East Midlands Chamber, said:-
“The national position remained very strong as 2017 ended but we have seen month-on-month variations regionally in employment levels and in claimant counts across Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire.
“Only this morning there are reports that Tesco and Sainsbury’s cutting thousands of jobs nationally from their stores and Carillion’s collapse, which will send shockwaves through its huge UK supply chain, happened after these figures were collated.
“Without wishing to rain on the Government’s parade today, there are changing trends in the ways businesses are working and also significant inflationary pressures being faced by employers at the moment, not least being the latest rise in the National Living Wage in April, which will force them to make difficult decisions about how they balance their books.
“Here in the East Midlands we are very good at making things and shipping them to global markets, second only to London and the South East in terms of contribution to the national economy, but for far too long we have succeeded despite Government policies rather than because of the help given to the region.
“Government needs to start looking at ways of cutting the upfront costs of doing business and to make sure the East Midlands gets its fair share of investment, particularly infrastructure investment such as electrification of the Midland Main Line, to ensure it can continue to make a positive contribution to UK plc.”
