Rise in unemployment
Published 15 Feb 2012 11:30
THE number of unemployed signing on in Reading has risen for the first time in five months.
Government figures released today show 3,797 people - 3.5% of the working age population - were claiming jobseeker's allowance in January. It is a rise of 154 from December, 118 from November and 98 from October.
In Wokingham, there were 1,468 claimants (1.4%), a rise of 34 compared to December but down by 11 when compared with the same period in 2011.
In West Berkshire, the figure rose by 111 to 1,798 in January, which is 51 less than the same month in 2011, while in South Oxfordshire, 1,235 (1.5%) were signing on, a rise of 25 from December.
Across Berkshire, there were 14,110 people signing on, which is up by 563 compared to December, and in the South East, there are 146,956 claimants (2.7%), which is a rise of 11,703 compared to the same period in 2011.
Nationally, unemployment rose by 48,000 to 2.67 million in the three months to December.
This article appeared in Reading Chronicle 15 Feb 12
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