NI Unemployment Increases

Northern Ireland's unemployment rate increased marginally by 0.2% over the period of October – December 2012. The current figure now stands at 7.8%.

But figures for January 2013 show the number of unemployment benefit claimants remained unchanged from the previous month’s figure.

The Labour Force survey found that 58.9% of those unemployed in Northern Ireland have been unemployed for one year or more.

This shows an increase of 18.6% on one year ago. The unemployment rate for 18-24-year-olds currently stands at 20.4%. This showed an increase of 2.3%.

Enterprise Minister Arlene Foster said: "There has been little change in the unemployment rate for the last quarter of 2012 and the number of people on the claimant count in January remained constant for the first time in over a year.

"Although an increase in jobs and output suggests a degree of stabilisation, it is only to be tentatively welcomed as it is still too early to draw conclusions. The UK reported a fall in quarterly GDP at the end of 2012 after growth in the third quarter, suggesting that the timing of any recovery remains difficult to predict.

"Nevertheless, there are areas of growth in the world economy and our continuing priority must be to help Northern Ireland businesses identify and target such demand, wherever it exists. Support for business will continue to be available through the wide range of Invest Northern Ireland initiatives that are tailored to meet individual business needs.

"I would actively encourage businesses to explore all potential market expansion options and utilise the funding support that is available such as the NI Small Business Loan Fund which aims to boost business confidence and help SMEs by ensuring that companies are not held back because they cannot access finance."

(IT/GK)