Eastbourne employment news: Fewer people are looking for work

The Office of National Statistics has revealed in the South East there are 4.6 million people employed which is up by 54,000 on the year. This equates to an employment rate of 78.2 per cent for people between 16-64.

The Claimant Count, which is the number of people in the ‘searching for work’ category, has dropped for Eastbourne and Wealden. In January 2022, 3,285 people were in the category for Eastbourne, in January 2023 this was down to 2,660. For Wealden, 2,400 people were in the category in January 2022 and 1,945 in January 2023.

Minister for Employment MP Guy Opperman said: ““It’s encouraging to see that more people are moving into work, as we know that being in employment is the best way to deliver financial security, skills and confidence.

“We’ve also made huge progress for everyone looking to boost their earnings or land a new role, with the employment rate increasing and more people joining payrolls.

“Growing the economy is one of our top five priorities which will deliver more high quality jobs, boosting everyone’s prospects and prosperity.”

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