Increase in jobless benefit claimants in Hartlepool in the last month

There were 4,000 people receiving benefits in January, a rise of 40 on December, and 110 year-on-year.

Figures for the Easington constituency, which covers Peterlee, Horden and Blackhall, had 2,890 people claiming out of work benefits in January, up from 2,815 in December.

The Sedgefield constituency saw 1,935 claimants, up from 1,915 from December, and the Stockton North constituency saw 2,775 claimants compared to 2,630 in December.

Cath Robson, of Jobcentre Plus, said: “Three is always a slight increase in the figures after Christmas.

“But if you look at the labour market in the town, it is actually very buoyant.

“We had a big jobs fair last week at which we had around 400 people and 30 or so employers and support organisations.

“The feedback from the employers is that they were very impressed with the calibre of the people they were seeing.”

Employment in the North East stands at 1,211,000 or 71.9% - an increase of 4,000 over the quarter, but a fall of 6,000 over the year.

Unemployment in the region stands at 69,000 or 5.4% - an increase of 6,000 over the quarter and 2,000 over the year. This compares to a rate of 4.0% nationally.

The claimant count stands at 65,800 or 5.4% in the North East. The national claimant count rate is 2.8%.

A North East England Chamber of Commerce spokesman said: “The labour market statistics show the North East has fallen behind the growth in employment in other regions in the past few months.

The unemployment rate in the North East has risen slightly since the record low reached last summer, and is now the highest of any English region.

“The number of people in employment has also dipped below the record high in January 2018.

“Chamber members have told us of concerns that investment and hiring decisions are being delayed until there is more certainty about the outcome of Brexit.”