STOKE & STAFFORDSHIRE LEP SEES BIGGEST FALL IN UNEMPLOYMENT

The Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Local Enterprise Partnership area has shown the biggest drop in unemployment in the whole of England in the past month.
Figures released today, November 11, by the DWP show a 5.4 per cent in the claimant count across Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire from September to October. The figure is calculated by adding together the number of people claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance with those claiming Universal Credit who are not in employment.
The figure fell from 7,895 in September to 7,465 in October, a drop of 430.
“This is brilliant news for our area,” LEP chairman David Frost CBE commented.
“We are working hard with our partners in business and local government to build a thriving economy and flourishing local communities across Stoke and Staffordshire by attracting inward investment, capitalising on our strengths in areas such as advanced manufacturing, and creating more highly skilled, better paid jobs in our area.
“It is very gratifying to see this hard evidence that our ambitions are being achieved and are benefitting local people.
“But these figures, though welcome, do not mean that we will be taking our foot off the pedal. Some sectors are facing a challenging global market at the moment and we will continue our efforts to champion innovation and help businesses to grow and our communities to prosper.”