THE North-East is no longer the UK’s jobless hotspot, official figures have revealed.

The region has shed its long-held label after unemployment fell between January and March.

According to latest numbers, released yesterday, the area’s jobless rate stood at 76,000 people, or 5.9 per cent.

The latter figure was below London’s 6.1 per cent, where 297,000 were out of work, and close to the 5.7 per cent recorded in the West Midlands, where 161,000 were unemployed.

It means that in the three-month period, the North-East rid itself of the unwelcome title of being the country’s worst off area for unemployment, which it had held for a considerable number of months.

The update was last night welcomed by figures across the region’s business community, who said the fall was reflective of improving market conditions and confidence across the North-East.

Jonathan Walker, head of policy and campaigns at the North East England Chamber of Commerce, said companies deserve praise for their recruitment drives, though he cautioned work remains to be done to get the unemployed number even lower.

He said: “The figures are great news; our region has seen the biggest fall in the unemployment rate of anywhere in the UK, accounting for 17 per cent of the national fall over the past year.

“Credit for this should go to our businesses, who continue to build a working North-East by investing in recruitment and training on the back of continued growth and success.

“However, we know there is still so much untapped potential in our current and future labour market.”

Ben Houchen, who was elected Tees Valley mayor earlier this month, echoed the upbeat message, saying he was focused on ensuring companies had fertile ground to expand in the future and create jobs.

He added: “For too long we have had the worst rate in the UK, although the situation is steadily improving. “Unemployment can only be solved by dynamic and successful local businesses and in my role as mayor I am determined to help them grow and prosper.”

Across the UK, the figures showed the overall unemployment rate fell to a 42-year low, with a record number of people in work.

The jobless total dropped by 53,000 to 1.54 million in the quarter to March, a rate of 4.6 per cent, which was the lowest since summer 1975.

Employment has increased by 122,000 to almost 32 million, the highest since records began in 1971.