Number of jobless claiming benefits falls

THE number of people out of work and claiming benefit has fallen for the first time in almost two years, figures revealed today.

However the statistics also showed that overall unemployment – which includes those who are out of work and not eligible for benefit – has risen again.

The figures for November to January showed that unemployment in Scotland had increased to 205,000, a rise of 16,000 over the last three months and up by 67,000 on the previous year.

The unemployment rate now stands at 7.6 per cent, slightly below the UK average of 7.8 per cent.

But the number of people who were out of work and claiming job seeker's allowance fell to 138,500 in February.

That is 600 less than January's total, but is still 25,100 more than in February 2009.