THE LATEST government figures show that employment in the South East, including Hampshire, is the highest of all UK regions.

The number now in work across the region stands at 4,470,000, a rise of 58,000 on the summer figure, and 63,000 up on the year.

Nationally over the last year more than half-a-million more people are now in work, bringing employment in the UK to a new record high of 31.4 million.

This growth has been driven by a rise in full-time jobs.

Wages have continued to grow strongly, 2% over the last year, and the number of vacancies has reached more than 750,000, showing the wealth of opportunities that are being created in the economy.

Unemployment now stands at 5.1% – the lowest since early 2006 – and long-term unemployment has fallen by a quarter over the year to 488,000, the lowest in six years.