Employment boost for new Government

The new all-Conservative Government will be buoyed by the latest jobs figures, as unemployment falls further and more people than ever are working.

Unemployment is now at 1.83 million, lower than any point in the last seven years - but the drop of 35,000 in the last quarter was the smallest for nearly two years.

Around 12,600 fewer people claimed Jobseeker's Allowance in April. The fall to 763,000 was the 30th monthly decrease in a row.

In the first quarter of this year, 202,000 people found jobs and now more than 31 million people are employed, more than any year since records started in 1971.

Nearly three quarters of the adult population who are capable of working are now doing so (73.5 per cent), and the employment rate among men is 78.4 per cent.

In the last 12 months the number of people claiming Jobseekers Allowance has dropped by 350,000 but the decrease in April was just 12,600 - the lowest reduction for nearly two years.

Those who are in work saw their salaries rise by 1.9 per cent between March 2014 and March this year, a rise of 0.2 per cent on the annual rise in February. It means workers are typically receiving £489 a week.

Copyright Press Association 2015