Jobless increase is one-off, says Stafford MP Jeremy Lefroy
An MP has insisted the number of unemployed people in Staffordshire will fall again in the coming months after new figures revealed a rise in January.
In Staffordshire as a whole the number claiming Jobseeker's Allowance in January was up 711 to 10,057 (1.9 per cent of the working population). The number of claimants in Stafford rose by 114 to 1,316 (1.6 per cent).
The number went up in Cannock Chase by 120 to 1,548 (2.4 per cent), Lichfield by 38 to 859 (1.4 per cent) and South Staffordshire by 79 to 1,294 (1.9 per cent).
Stafford MP Jeremy Lefroy said the increase was caused by contracts ending for temporary Christmas workers.
He said: "There are 470 fewer unemployed in Stafford than this time last year and I expect to see the numbers fall again in the coming months.
"The situation is improving and these figures for January are an anomaly.
"There are signs that our economic recovery is taking hold and we must remained focused on our long-term plan to ensure continued grow in jobs and investment."
Sara Williams chief executive of Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce said: "Many people are still working part-time as they are unable to gain full-time employment.
"The recovery is still fragile and the Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce is calling for the Chancellor to use next month's budget to introduce further measures to boost growth and ensure that it can continue."
It comes as unemployment in the UK has fallen again.
National figures show a 125,000 drop in unemployment between October and December last year to 2.34 million.
In the West Midlands, unemployment fell by 31,000 to 226,000, although at 8.2 per cent the region's jobless rate is higher than the 7.2 per cent national average.
Nationally, the number of people claiming jobseeker's allowance fell 27,000 to 1.22 million last month, but in the West Midlands it was on the rise, up by more than 4,000 to 131,462.
In Sandwell the number claiming Jobseeker's Allowance rose by 258 to 11,075, or 5.6 per cent of the working population.
In neighbouring Walsall the claimant count rose by 238 to 8,254 (4.9 per cent) and Dudley had a rise of 270 to 8,271 (4.3 per cent).
Birmingham claimants were up by 673 to 41,946 (six per cent).
