MP welcomes unemployment rate fall
South Lakes MP Tim Farron has welcomed today's unemployment figures from the Office of National Statistics, which show a further fall in the number of unemployed people in Westmorland and Lonsdale.
The number of unemployed people in Westmorland and Lonsdale constituency in May 2014 was 317. This represents a rate of 0.8% of the economically active population aged 16 to 64, the 645th highest of the 650 UK parliamentary constituencies. (1st = highest rate of unemployment, 650th = lowest rate of unemployment.)
The number of claimants is 194 lower than in May 2013 and 40 lower than last month's figures.
Tim said: "Further falls in the number of people out of work is good news for South Lakeland, although the figures are not seasonally adjusted so they need to be greeted with some caution. They do not reflect seasonal work.
"We are lucky that the South Lakes have a much lower than average unemployment rate, but there are still people looking for work. I am working hard with businesses in the area to encourage them to take on apprentices, and to take advantage of schemes to assist with employing people. I am also working with further education providers to make sure learning opportunities to support apprentices and other workers are available."