UNEMPLOYMENT across Bradford has risen by more than 8 per cent in the last year, according to the latest Government figures.

The new statistics, known as the alternative claimant count, have been calculated by the Department for Work and Pensions.

They have been drawn up to more accurately show the number of people claiming unemployment benefits following the roll-out of Universal Credit.

In Bradford there were 16,349 people claiming unemployment-related benefits in the latest quarterly figures for May. This compares to 15,125 a year ago, an increase of 8.1 per cent.

In addition, this is a 1.8 per cent rise on the figures from February, which saw 16,058 claimants.

This compares to a year-on-year rise of 0.3 per cent in Yorkshire and Humber and a 3.7 per cent rise in England.

Across the five constituencies that cover the Bradford district there has been a rise in each area on the quarter.

Compared to May 2018, Keighley saw the largest rise in claimants, a 10.4 per cent jump to 1,940 people.

In Shipley there was an 8.3 per cent rise to reach 1,428 claimants.

Meanwhile in Bradford West and Bradford East, there was a 7.8 per cent increase on claimants compared to May 2018. This brought the number of claimants to 5,020 and 4,717 respectively.

In Bradford South, the number of claimants increased by 7.7 per cent on the year, reaching 3,250 people in May 2019.

Tracy Othen, partnership manager for the DWP in Bradford, said it was important to note that they fully expected to see higher numbers in the alternative claimant count on this time last year, because the statistics now fully factored in Universal Credit, which was replacing a range of different benefits.

She said the new figures show a "small increase in numbers of the last quarter".

"Overall the alternative claimant count statistics show a positive picture for Bradford District with the count showing a 32 per cent decrease on figures from 5 years ago.

"Our teams are continually working to create opportunities to support our claimants and in the coming months we have arranged events to support people with finding work that matches their skills, and suits their circumstances.

"In September there are events both in Bradford and Keighley. On 18 September we are running another Step into Work Bradford event where there are opportunities for claimants to meet employers.

"Also we will be running a Here to Help event in Keighley where claimants to meet with partners that we work to find about support that is available to them to help them move forward on their individual journeys."

Universal Credit was first introduced in Bradford for new single claimants only in 2015. It was fully rolled out last year.

ONS figures also released today show that 354,000 more people entered the workforce nationally in the last year. The UK's unemployment rate remained at its lowest since 1974 at 3.8 per cent and regular pay has risen by 1.7 per cent in real terms.