Halesowen & Rowley Regis MP James Morris has welcomed news that unemployment within the constituency has fallen by 51% since 2010.
This news comes at the same time that average wages have risen by 3%.
MP James Morris said, “At the general election I set out my plan for Halesowen & Rowley Regis where jobs and skills was at the top of my priority list. Our national economic plan, along with local jobs and skills fairs I have held, have helped get people back into work and gaining the security of a pay packet.
I will continue to work hard to promote jobs and skills locally and will be holding a jobs and skills fair early in the New Year to build on the success we have had locally.”
Locally 1,356 fewer people are now claiming unemployment benefit than in 2010, with 395 of these being in the last year.
Other useful statistics:
· The employment rate is at the highest in our history - at 73.6 per cent of people aged 16-64.
· Unemployment has fallen to a seven year low – at 5.4 per cent.
· There are 920,000 more women in work since 2010 and the number of unemployed women has fallen by 73,000 in the year.
· The number of unemployed young people who are not full-time students is the lowest in a decade – 6.2 per cent of the youth population.
· Among older people (50-64), employment is up 60,000 on the quarter and 193,000 on the year to 8.26 million.
· Vacancies were at 738,000 in the three months to September, up 53,000 on the year and 276,000 since 2010.
· Three-quarters of the growth in employment since 2010 have been full-time.
· Only 2.4 per cent of people in work are on zero-hours contracts. Unlike the last Labour Government, who did nothing, we have taken action to clamp down on abuses by banning exclusivity contracts.
· Real wages are rising strongly.