The latest labour market statistics show that unemployment has fallen in the East of England, by 0.3 percentage points to 6.3 percent (compared to 7.8 per cent nationally). The number of unemployed claimants and the claimant rate fell to their lowest since February 2009. Claimant unemployment fell for the fourth consecutive month, falling by 238 people in December with the claimant rate falling by 0.1 percentage points to 3.3 per cent.

The claimant count rate remained the same or fell by 0.1 percentage points in all but three local authority areas in the region. The exceptions were increases in Great Yarmouth (0.4 percentage points), North Norfolk (0.2 percentage points) and Harlow (0.1 percentage points). Despite a fall in unemployment, the region has experienced a fall in employment and a rise in economic inactivity. The labour market statistics suggest that much of the fall in employment translated into increased economic inactivity rather than unemployment.

Similar trends have been observed across the UK, with data suggesting that employment decreased in September to November compared to the previous three months.

Contact InsightEast@eeda.org.uk