Today’s employment numbers from the Office for National Statistics show that the rate of unemployment remains at 4.3% - the lowest in 40 years. Damian welcomed the news, saying:
“We’re ending the year on a strong note with figures showing the unemployment rate has fallen every month in 2017.
Employment is at a near-record high, and there are over 3 million more people in work now compared to 2010, and youth unemployment has fallen by over 40% over that time.
“The number of vacancies has hit a new high – at 798,000 – so we need to ensure we continue to support people into work, including those with disabilities, people from disadvantaged backgrounds, and the over 50’s looking to put their skills back to work.”