Revealed: Jobless figures for Harrogate show rate is only about half the national average

The new data for the Harrogate and Knaresborough constituency shows there was a big fall in the local unemployment rate last month compared to the same point the previous year.

Figures from the Government showed that there were 1,160 employment-related benefit claimants in Harrogate and Knaresborough in March, equivalent to 1.9 per cent of the working age population.

This compares to a rate of 3.7 per cent nationally.

Although the figure remained static from February to March, the change on last year was a decrease of 160 claimants.

Harrogate and Knaresborough Andrew Jones MP welcomed the news, saying: “Our JobCentre Plus team do an incredible job helping people into work.

"These ongoing good figures – well below the national average – reflect that.”