NI Unemployment Up 6% Last Month

A further 2,200 people were made redundant in the Province last month, according to government figures published today.

The 6.1% increase in unemployment was similar to that experienced in December, when 2,100 individuals lost their jobs.

Northern Ireland fell below the UK average for jobs losses in January, which stood at 6.4%.

However, since January 2008 14,700 people across Northern Ireland have been made unemployed, representing a 62% overall increase. This is compared to a UK average of 55%.

Almost eight in ten of these jobs losses occurred in the Province within the last six months.

In the last quarter, the number of economic inactive people of working age increased by 6,000.

This brought the economic inactivity rate in Northern Ireland 27.4%, almost seven points higher than the UK average.

Currently 774,000 people are in employment in the Province, which is down 1.1% since last year.

Today Enterprise Minister Arlene Foster said Northern Ireland was facing "immediate economic pressures".

She said: "Last month showed another sharp increase in the registered unemployed and the increase over the last six months has been particularly marked. Nearly 80% of the annual increase in claimants has occurred since July 2008.

"However, although our unemployment rate has risen to just over 5%, it is still below the UK average.

"That said, it is clear the local economy, in line with other UK regions, is facing very immediate economic pressures."

See: UK Unemployment Nears The Two Million Mark

(PR/BMcC)