Gavin Williamson, MP for South Staffordshire, has welcomed the news that employment across the UK continues to run at a record high, the unemployment rate has fallen to an 11-year low, and that according to today’s figures there are 257,000 more people back in work in the West Midlands since 2010.
In South Staffordshire, the number of people claiming the key out of work benefits has fallen by 828 - a 55 per cent drop – since 2010.
As well as the employment rate continuing to run at a record high, today’s figures show that wages are continuing to rise strongly. Youth unemployment is down by almost 350,000 since 2010, the number of disabled people in work has increased by 590,000 in the past three years, and the proportion of women in work is at a joint record high. Over 70 per cent of the rise in employment since 2010 has been from full time work.
Commenting on the figures Gavin said: “Today sees another set of strong figures, with employment continuing to run at a record high and unemployment falling to an 11-year low.
“The number of people in South Staffordshire relying on the key out of work benefits has fallen by 828 since 2010 – a 55% drop. Growth is being fuelled by full-time professional jobs while wages are continuing to grow strongly, which underlines the resilience of the UK labour market.
“The measures we have taken have put our economy in a position of strength, and we will work to ensure more people can benefit from these opportunities as we build a country that works for everyone.”