Job Seeker Rate Drops

The number of people in the Kingdom claiming Job Seekers Allowance has fallen to a 20 year low.

5, 904 are currently receiving the payment, that's 2.5% of the working age population.

However, Fife continues to have one of the highest youth unemployment rates in Scotland.

Councillor Lesley Laird, Executive Spokesperson for Economy & Planning said: 

"It's a great end to the year to see JSA numbers are at a 20 year low.

"Hopefully this trend will continue into 2015 and Fife can further close the gap to meet the Scottish average rate as there is now only a 0.2 percentage point difference. 

"However there is still a great deal to be done to improve employability and life chances for people in Fife. 

"Our next steps will bring an increased focus on a preventative agenda focusing on educational, employment and other inequalities faced by some of Fife's communities. The work already underway with education and the business community in Fife as well as the recently announced Fairer Fife Commission will help with the council’s vision to build a better, stronger, fairer Fife."

Councillor Tony Martin, Chair of Opportunities Fife and Fife Council's Youth Ambassador, said: 

"These figures are encouraging indeed. I am happy to see the number of young JSA claimants decrease once again this month. There were 1,425 young claimants which is 3.4% of Fife's 16-24 population. We must also work to bring this in line with the Scottish average. With the recent re-opening of Fife Council’s Skills Development Centre in Kirkcaldy as well as a range of other programmes and initiatives I am confident that we can build on the successes of Opportunities Fife Partnership over the past year into 2015."