There has been a welcome drop in unemployment in the Ludlow area. The number of people in the Ludlow parliamentary constituency claiming Jobseekers Allowance, or not in work and claiming Universal Credit, has dropped from 432 in April to 408 in May (6% fall). Nearly all of the fall has been in youth unemployment which has dropped sharply from 105 people to 85 (19% fall).
The combined Jobseekers and Universal Credit count is only a partial measure of unemployment.[1] There is also a seasonal effect as people are taken on in tourist and horticulture related jobs.
This is very welcome reduction in unemployment. The claimant rate is now 1%, one of the lowest rates in the UK, which has an overall claimant rate of 2.6%. Claimants have dropped by 34% in a year compared to 26% nationally.
The claimant rate in Shrewsbury and Atcham is 1.5% and North Shropshire 1.6%.
Notes
[1] The national claimant rate is 2.6% but the number of unemployed looking for work is estimated at 5.5%.