The North East’s unemployment rate remains the highest in the country but has fallen significantly to go below 5% for the first time in more than a year.
New figures for the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show the rate of joblessness in the region at 4.7%, above the national average of 3.6% but well below the 5.1% figure recorded in the previous two months. The number of people claiming unemployment benefit fell below 70,000 to stand at 69,165.
The figures - which cover the three-month period to the end of July - come despite fears of a slowdown in the economy and data showing that rising costs are putting big pressure on businesses and reducing consumer confidence.
