Unemployment figures falling as more women find part-time jobs

Unemployment fell by 146,000 between May and July to 2.02 million

The fall to 203,000 people out of work in the three months until the end of July still leaves the region with a 7.3 per cent unemployment rate, the second highest in the country.

Nationally, the jobless total was just over two million, a fall of 146,000 giving a lower-than-expected unemployment rate of 6.2 per cent.

Keighley MP and Government Ministers Kris Hopkins said: “

“This is yet another set of very pleasing figures, both locally and nationally, which come off the back of news that inflation also fell last month to 1.5 per cent.

“Across the UK as a whole, the 468,000 year-on-year fall in unemployment represents the biggest annual drop for 26 years.”

The number of people working part-time has risen 52,000 to 6.76 million from a year ago.

The Office of National Statistics said most of the growth in employment is being driven by women working part-time.

Labour Shadow Employment Minister Stephen Timms said: “Today’s fall in overall unemployment is welcome, but the new figures have shown working people are seeing their pay falling far behind the cost of living.”

“Pay excluding bonuses today is the lowest on record. Under this Government wages after inflation have already fallen by over £1,600 a year since 2010 and by next year working people will have seen the biggest fall in wages of any Parliament since 1874.”