THE number of unemployed people signing on in Reading has dropped.

Figures released yesterday show the figure claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance went down 89 to 2,353, which is 2.2% of the working age population.

Slough has the highest percentage of working age population in Berkshire claiming benefit at 2.8% (2,621).

The number of jobless in Wokingham was down 31 between February and March, with 862 (0.9%) claiming, while in West Berkshire figures were down 80 to 1,007 (1%). Unemployment was also down by 39 in South Oxfordshire, with 697 (0.8%) claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance, compared with 736 between January and February.

Across the South East, there were 97,249 claimants (1.8%), down 4,902. Nationally, the number of people claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance last month fell by 30,400 to 1.14 million.