FIGURES released by the Office of National Statistics (ONS) show employment has hit a record high – 32.26 million – up by more than 3 million since 2010, and the rate of employment is now at 75.4 per cent, the highest since comparable records began in 1971.
East Hampshire MP Damian Hinds welcomed the latest figures, with the range of government measures which came into effect at the start of the new tax year.
Mr Hinds said: “We’re fortunate in East Hampshire to have one of the lowest claimant rates in the country, and these employment numbers are encouraging, particularly with news that wages are now rising faster than prices.
“With measures that came into effect with the new tax year, this is exactly the kind of news people across East Hampshire want to hear, helping to keep taxes low for hard-working families and businesses.”