UNEMPLOYMENT has continued to fall across the district, according to the latest government statistics released today.

The number of people claiming Jobseekers' Allowance (JSA) in Bradford during October dropped by 341.

Figures released by the Office of National Statistics show that last month, a total of 9,341 people claimed unemployment benefits, down from 9,682 the previous month.

This continues the downward trend which saw the number of JSA claimants in the Bradford district fall below the 10,000 mark in August for the first time in seven years.

Account manager at Jobcentre Plus in Bradford, Tracy Othen, said: "It's a 28 per cent drop on the same time last year and for 18 to 24-year-olds the figures are down by 36 per cent on last year. It's a very positive picture that the downward trend is continuing.

"I think we will see an even bigger impact in the coming months as the new jobs in the recently-opened Broadway shopping centre take effect. Also Christmas vacancies start trickling through in October.

"We are seeing much more contact from employers looking for people. In addition we are encouraging people to be job smart and more digital such as following our twitter feed where we retweet jobs and information."

The unemployment rate for the district was 2.8 per cent, compared to 2.1 per cent regionally and 1.6 per cent nationally.

Within the district unemployment also continued to fall across each of the five constituencies.

The biggest drop in those claiming JSA was in Bradford West with 141 fewer people receiving the benefit last month, down to 2,751, a fall of 4.9 per cent.

Bradford West MP Naz Shah said: "The fall in the latest JSA figures is encouraging and demonstrates clearly the success of the Labour run council’s ability to drive the economy forward within these challenging economic times. This is despite the tremendous pressure being placed on it by central government.

"However we have a long way to go and so it is important for the business and civic leadership to continue to work jointly to create jobs and prosperity.”

In Bradford South the number of claimants fell by 104 to 1,874, or 5.3 per cent.

The constituency's Labour MP Judith Cummins, said: "Whilst the decrease in those claiming unemployment benefits in Bradford South is good news, the issue of those on low wages remains a massive challenge.

“Their situation will only be made worse by the determination of the Tories to cut Tax Credits, which will undermine the value of work and penalise those who work hard day after day, just to get by.

“People will be bracing themselves for yet more severe cuts in the chancellors Comprehensive Spending Review in a couple of weeks’ time.

“The Government can and must do more to create more secure, better paid and full-time jobs, to increase living standards for everyone.”

Bradford East saw this figure drop to 2,715, by 45 claimants or 1.6 per cent.

Meanwhile in Shipley the figure fell to 914, a drop of 36 or 3.8 per cent. Shipley MP, Conservative Philip Davies said: "I am delighted that unemployment continues to fall in the Shipley constituency. Behind these statistics are people and families for whom these new jobs mean everything to them. I wish all them every success."

In Keighley, a 1.4 per cent drop saw the number of claimants fall by 15 to 1,087. Keighley Conservative MP Kris Hopkins said this was 361 fewer people than 12 months ago.

He added: “It is good news that the local unemployment trend remains downwards with wages on the rise. But as I say month after month, there can never be any room for complacency.

“The work to secure the hard-earned recovery and ensure we are well prepared to tackle any global economic storms that come our way must go on.

“That said, Keighley and Ilkley continues to attract very welcome inward investment with the prospect of new jobs and increased prosperity for many more individuals and their families.”

Imran Hussain, MP for Bradford East said: “Whilst I of course welcome a fall in unemployment, Bradford East still remains in 25th place out of 650 for 16 to 64 year olds, there are too few good job prospects for young people, and we need much more meaningful assistance for the long-term unemployed to help them into well-paid, secure roles without persecuting them.

“When we see widespread closures of skilled industries and funding cuts for emerging industries such as renewables, it is also clear that the Government need to promote training opportunities and invest in businesses and emerging industries to bring high-skill, high-pay roles to cities, including Bradford, and I will be urging them in coming weeks to do so in order to tackle the blight of unemployment in the city.”