UNEMPLOYMENT in Bromsgrove has risen in the latest monthly figures.

Official figures released by the Office for National Statistics show the total claimant at 650, up by 45, but a reduction of 49 per cent compared with five years ago.

The 18-25 claimant count in Bromsgrove comes in at 165, up by 10, and a reduction of 59 per cent compared with five years ago.

Unemployment in Worcestershire as a whole has also risen year-on-year in November, from 4280 last year to 4365.

Nationally the number of people in work has dropped by 56,000 in recent months, the biggest quarterly drop in more than two years.

But unemployment is at just 4.3 per cent, the lowest level since 1975, while employment remains at a near record high with 32.08 million people in work.

Minister for Employment, Damian Hinds said: “We’re ending the year on a strong note with figures showing the unemployment rate has fallen every month in 2017, and is now at the lowest it’s been in over 40 years.

“Employment is at a near-record high, and there are over three million more people in work now compared to 2010.”