East: Unemployment Falls

15 May 2013, 12:04 | Updated: 15 May 2013, 12:21

The latest figures have revealed unemployment has fallen in the eastern region.

The number of people looking for work fell by 2,000 in the three months to March, according to official figures.

It means the number of people who are out of work in the east of England stands at 210,000.

The region's unemployment rate was 6.8% and saw a fall of 0.9% during the period. 

Nationally the number of people who are out of work increased by 15,000 to 2.52 million.

The worst area in the UK was the South West which recorded a 17,000 increase in the number of people without a job. 

The figures also revealed that 902,000 people had been out of work for more than a year, a 23,000 increase on the three months to December.

The number of unemployed 16 to 24-year-olds fell by 17,000 to 958,000.

The number of people classed as economically inactive, including students, people on long-term sick leave and those who have given up looking for work, rose by 47,000 to nine million. Despite the increase in unemployment, the total is 92,000 lower than a year ago.