THE number of unemployed people signing on in Reading has dropped for the fifth consecutive month
Figures released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show the number of people claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance fell by 91 from 1,993 in July to 1,902 today which is 1.8 % of the working-age population.
Despite a rise of nine people signing on in Wokingham from 672 to 681 the borough still had the lowest percentage of JSA claimants at 0.7%, whilst Slough has the highest percentage of working age population in Berkshire claiming benefit at 2.1% (2,001).
In West Berkshire figures were down 64 to 764 (0.8%), while unemployment was also down in South Oxfordshire from 556 to 527 (0.6%).
Across the South East, there were 76,612 claimants (1.4%), down 2,656. Nationally, the number of people claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance last month fell by 44,165 to 995,835.
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