Unemployment in the North East has hit a record low, new figures show.
The region’s unemployment has fallen sharply in the three months to the end of January to reach a level of 4.1%, the lowest on record. The number of people in the North East classed as ‘economically inactive’ also fell to 24.9%, though that remains the highest in the UK.
The North East has seen the highest drop in unemployment in the UK over the last year at 1.3% and no longer has the highest rate of joblessness in the country, though it is still above the national average of 3.7%. The number of people claiming unemployment-related benefits stood at 68,775.
