- By Buckinghamshire Business First
- 18 September, 2014
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With a claimant count rate that has dropped by over one third in the past 12 months, Buckinghamshire is showing encouraging signs of an economic recovery that is much needed after the multi dip recession that affected businesses across the county.
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The latest claimant count figures – those that show the number of people claiming Job Seeker’s Allowance (JSA) – are in and show a dramatic fall in the number of people doing so. There were 3,360 working age people claiming JSA in August, who make up 1.1% of the working age population. This is a yearly drop in the claimant count of 36.4% - a stark drop which suggests an economic recovery which is gathering pace.
The figures, when analysed between a pre-recession August 2008 and August 2014, show which occupations are most sought after by the unemployed. The major shift has been in people looking for work in retail, which are typically the lower paid jobs. The number of people seeking jobs in this sector dwarfs the rest. Meanwhile, there are fewer unemployed people seeking work in the higher paid managerial positions, suggesting that these have already been filled while the lower paid ones have not.
The big shift in claimants has been gender related. The number of male claimants since August 2008 has fallen by 315, but the number of female claimants has risen by 320, meaning that women now account for the highest percentage of claimants since August 1987.
You can read more research and statistics by signing up to the Buckinghamshire Business First research bulletin. Email research@bbf.uk.com or call 01494 568935. Alternatively visit the research section of the Buckinghamshire Business First website.
