Thousands of jobseekers back into work as economy recovers

The number of jobseekers have nearly halved in parts of Lincolnshire as thousands returned to the workplace.

Almost 9000 fewer people are looking for work than the same time last year, according to new figures from the Job Centre.

The news is particularly good for younger people getting into work.

East Lindsey saw the biggest drop overall, with 48% less people claiming unemployment benefits. There were 2334 in May, a drop of 2170 compared to the previous 12 months.

People aged 18 to 24 saw an even bigger reduction in the district, with 60% less people looking for work.

The recovery has been slower in Lincoln, where figures only decreased by a third.

Lincolnshire as a whole had 8640 fewer job-seekers, of which around a quarter were young people.

It comes after Universal Credit figures soared during the pandemic when people’s normal work was disrupted, with young people being particularly hard hit.

See which areas are recovering fastest in the full stats below

Stats for Lincolnshire job seekers | Photo: Job Centre

Lincolnshire Job Centres say they have been working hard to match unemployed people up with employers.

Big businesses like McDonalds, Libertas and Order of St Johns Care have attended job fairs looking for candidates.

84 offers were made at a recent one in Grantham, where over 56 employers attended.

Another 70 offers were handed out in Skegness, and 25 in Lincoln.

Stuart Roberts, a spokesperson for the Boston Job Centre, said: “Our skilled staff are working harder than ever to help employers fill record levels of vacancies.

“Our top priority remains in matching the right job with the right person.

“Across Lincolnshire in June and July, over 350 employers have been welcomed into our offices and supported in their recruitment drives, resulting in hundreds of job offers for our customers alone.

“We continue to offer a bespoke service to employers recruiting throughout Lincolnshire.”