UNEMPLOYMENT has fallen across the UK – but the North-East remains the country’s jobless blackspot.

The amount of people out of work in the region is twice as bad as the South-East, according to new figures, while it also lags well behind Wales, the North-West and the Midlands.

However, JobCentre Plus last night told The Northern Echo more firms were approaching the organisation to find workers.

It also said greater focus on work experience and support for the long-term unemployed was yielding positive results.  

According to latest numbers, released by the Office for National Statistics, the UK’s unemployment rate fell to 4.9 per cent, the lowest figure since July 2005.

It said the national unemployment rate total dropped to 1.65 million between March and May, which was down 54,000 on the previous quarter. 

The ONS also revealed the number of people in work in the North-East rose by 7,000 in the three months, meaning the employment rate was at a record high of 70.9 per cent with more than 1.2 million people in work. 

However, it added unemployment in the North-East stood at 7.4 per cent, which was almost three per cent higher than Wales, the North-West and the Midlands, and twice the rate of South-East England.

None of figures cover the period since the EU referendum vote.

However, Paul Robson, Department for Work and Pensions’ partnership manager for County Durham, told The Northern Echo the Brexit has had little impact, adding companies have yet to rein back recruitment plans.

He said: “From a JobCentre Plus point of view, what we are seeing is more employers coming to us.

“We want to be the place that they come to in their attempts to find people for their business and we haven’t noticed a difference through Brexit.

“We are working with a lot of employers to provide placements and are also providing support to those who may have been out of work for a while. 

“We helped one lady, who had not worked since 1987, get a placement in a charity shop, and she’s now an acting manager.”

Mr Robson also said JobCentre Plus was doing a lot of work with younger people, revealing it will extend a trial in schools to offer career advice.

He added: “We will bring employers into schools to talk to young people and educate them about what the labour market is like in County Durham.

“It won’t go to every school, but our remit will be to work with schools that don’t already have a close relationship with employers to build bridges.”

Referring to the UK’s job statistics, Damian Hinds, Employment Minister, said: “We’re determined to make Britain a country that works for everyone, not just the privileged few, and good progress has been made.”

National unemployment breakdown between March and May: 

North-East 7.4 per cent 

Northern Ireland 5.9 per cent 

West Midlands 5.9 per cent 

London 5.8 per cent 

Yorkshire and The Humber 5.7 per cent 

Scotland 5.5 per cent 

North-West 4.9 per cent

Wales 4.6 per cent 

East Midlands 4.5 per cent 

South-West  4.0 per cent 

South-East 3.7 per cent 

East of England 3.5 per cent