UNEMPLOYMENT across Wiltshire fell to 6,700 in the three months to September, according to figures released on Tuesday (January 22).

The latest figures from the Office for National Statistics showed a 600 drop on the June to September figures for the county from 7,300 to 6,700, a rate of 2.6 per cent. This is its lowest level since June 2006.

In November the claimant count for Wiltshire was 4,535 for those claiming Universal Credit, JSA and National Insurance Credits.

This is significantly less than the Department of Work and Pensions’ modelled claimant count data, if Universal Credit had not been in place, which was projected to have been 5,099.

Sally Cook, the DWP’s employer & partnership manager for Wiltshire, said: “We have a very low unemployment rate in Wiltshire. Generally, it is a relatively healthy and buoyant labour market in Wiltshire.”

Rob Perks, chief executive of the Wessex Chamber in Trowbridge, said: “We have had a few things happening in the last few months with some of the larger employers which has caused us a few problems here in Wiltshire.

“But generally we are a county with a very high employment rate, so this sort of news makes a big impact.

“However, there are still employers looking for skilled staff so it should be easy for people to get another job if they are skilled.For those who are unskilled, it’s more difficult but if those people get in touch with us, we’ll see what we can do to help.”

Employment in the South West stood at 2.79 million, a 31,000 rise on last year, with the region having the highest employment rate in the country at 79.1 per cent.

The South West unemployment rate is well below the UK average at 3.1 per cent, compared to 4.8 per cent nationally.

Employment in Wiltshire stood at 248,800 in the period October 2017 to September 2018, a rate of 80.7 per cent.

Unemployment nationally increased by 8,000 to 1.37 million, although the total is 68,000 lower than a year ago. Employment continues to run at a near-record high rate of 74.5 per cent, with 31.8 million people in work – an increase of over 2.7 million since 2010. There are 249,000 more people in work nationally compared to this time last year.

Nationally, the number of people out of work remains at an 11-year low of 4.8 per cent, down by more than 900,000 since 2010.

Employment Minister Alok Sharma said: “Once again, we see a new record employment rate in the UK, with more people in work than ever before.

“UK workers also got a much-needed pay boost before Christmas with wages outpacing inflation for the tenth month in a row in November, growing at the fastest rate in a decade.

“There are 328,000 more people in work over the past year, almost entirely driven by full-time jobs as the Government delivers an economy that works for the British people.

“We have made real progress creating a strong economy and helping more people into work and will do what is needed to continue that trajectory as we build a country that works for everyone.

“Our pro-business policies have helped boost private sector employment by 3.8 million since 2010.”

The rise in employment continues to be driven by full-time work, which is up by two million since 2010. Long-term unemployment is at its lowest level since 2008.

Record numbers of people are in work and job vacancies are at their joint highest level since 2001.

The number of women in employment has reached a new record high rate of 69.9 per cent.

Average wages, excluding bonuses, grew by 2.7 per cent over the last year, and there are around 750,000 vacancies at any one time.

Average earnings, excluding bonuses, increased by 3.3 per cent in the year to November, as wage rises continued to outpace inflation.

The claimant count remained at 2.3 per cent, close to its lowest rate since 1975.

Nationally, youth unemployment is down by over 360,000 since 2010 and the lowest in 11 years, while long term unemployment is the lowest since mid-2008.

The national increase in both unemployment and employment is explained by the UK’s rising population, and fewer people classed as economically inactive, which includes those on long-term sick leave, students, and people who have given up looking for a job.