NI Unemployment Falls

The number of people unemployed in Northern Ireland continues to fall, according to the latest Labour Force Survey, released by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment.

Unemployment was estimated at 6.9% for the period February - April 2014, indicating a 0.6% fall from the rate recorded in the previous quarter (7.5%) and a drop of 0.9% from the rate recorded one year ago (7.8%).

However, the Northern Ireland unemployment rate was above the UK average rate, 6.6%, which is down 0.5% over the quarter and 1.2% over the year. The NI rate was also lower than the European Union (10.5%) and Republic of Ireland (11.8%) rates for March 2014.

50.4% of those unemployed in Northern Ireland have been unemployed for one year or more, according to the report. This is down 8.8% from one year ago. The unemployment rate for 18 to 24-year-olds stands at 19.2%, up 0.2% over the year.

The number of people claiming unemployment related benefits stood at 55,500 in May 2014, down 500 from the revised figure for the previous month. However, the Northern Ireland claimant count rate (6.3%) in May 2014 was the highest among the twelve UK regions. The UK rate was 3.2%.

This is now the 50th consecutive month that NI has had the highest or second highest UK regional unemployment rate, on this measure.

Enterprise, Trade and Investment Minister Arlene Foster said: "The figures published today provide positive signs across a number of key labour market indicators. Both the unemployment rate and the number of unemployment benefit claimants have decreased over the quarter and the year. In addition, the number of employee jobs continues to increase, representing the eighth consecutive quarterly increase in this measure.

"There is further good news in terms of the economic output measures, with annual increases in both the Index of Production and Index of Services. This has also been reflected by the latest Ulster Bank Purchasing Managers' Index, in which firms have reported the sharpest rise in new orders since the survey began in August 2002."

(IT/JP)