Latest unemployment and Jobcentre vacancy figures released

The latest JSA unemployment figures show a small increase between November and December. With seasonal recruitment tailing off, this is reflected in the drop in notified job vacancies.

• The number of JSA jobless in West Lothian for November is 4,724. This is an increase of 10 on the November 2009 figure.
• West Lothian's unemployment rate of 4.4% is higher than both the Scottish (4.1%) and Great Britain (4.1%) rates. West Lothian's unemployment rate ranks joint 10th highest with Inverclyde out of all Scottish local authority areas.
  Youth unemployment (18-24 year olds) in West Lothian for December is 1,475. This is a decrease of 5 on the last month.
• There were 776 notified Jobcentre vacancies in December - a net decrease of 845 from November 2009 of vacancies.
• Due to the end of seasonal recruitment, the ratio of jobseekers to jobcentre vacancies has increased to 6 jobseekers for every vacancy advertised in West Lothian jobcentres. In comparison, Scotland's ratio is 7.1:1, Great Britain is 5.8:1 with East Dunbartonshire having the highest ratio of 19.1:1 (19 jobseekers for every vacancy) of claimants to vacancies of Scottish local authorities.

JSA based unemployment figures do not provide the full picture. However, the headline JSA figure does help to indicate the latest trend or change at a national or local level and whether the economic down turn is beginning to bite. The Government's favoured method of measuring unemployment - the ILO method does not readily translate into up-to-date local area estimates.

The Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) is payable to people under pensionable age who are available for, and actively seeking, work.