Number of people on Live Register falls

Figures released today show that the number of people singing onto the Live Register fell slightly in September.

Around 5,400 less people were signing on in September, which is the first time the number has dropped in four months, according to the CSO.

The unemployment rate in September was 14.3 per cent which is down, albeit slightly, from August when unemployment was at 14.4 per cent. Although the decrease is slight, it is still an improvement on this years peak of unemployment.

However, this year’s unemployment rate is still above the 2010 average of 13.6 per cent.  In total there is now 442,200 people on the live register, which is roughly 10 per cent of our population.

This decrease follows four consecutive months of relatively low increases in the seasonally adjusted series.

However, the number of long-term claimants on the Live Register continued to increase over the year with 41.9pc of claimants in September on the Live Register for one year or more. In September 2010 long-term claimants made up 33.4pc of the total Live Register.

It’s not much, but it’s a start.