Latest unemployment and Jobcentre vacancy figures

The latest unemployment and Jobcentre vacancy figures have been published for West Lothian (Job Seekers Allowance (JSA) based figures).

• The number of JSA jobless in West Lothian for December is 4,216. This is an increase of 29 on the previous month.



• West Lothian's unemployment rate of 3.7% is below both the Scotland (4.1%) and the Great Britain (3.9%) rate. West Lothian's unemployment rate ranks 12th highest out of all Scottish local authority areas.



• Youth unemployment (18-24 year olds) in West Lothian for December is 1,255. This is a decrease of 35 on the previous month.



• There were 1,055 notified jobcentre vacancies in December - a decrease of 114 from November 2011. The drop in vacancies is due to the tapering off in seasonal recruitment. However, the number of vacancies in December 2011 is 132 higher than December 2010.



• The ratio of jobseekers to jobcentre vacancies stands at 4 jobseekers for every vacancy advertised in West Lothian Jobcentres. In comparison, Scotland’s ratio is 5.8:1, Great Britain’s is 4.8:1 with North Ayrshire having the highest ratio of 15.5:1 (16 jobseekers for every vacancy) of claimants to vacancies of Scottish local authorities.

Jobcentre Plus modernises service delivery

DWP is modernising the way Jobcentre Plus delivers its services and handing responsibility back to the Jobcentre Plus advisers who work with claimants day in, day out. Jobcentre Plus advisers will assess the individual needs of people and offer the support they think is best.

Jobcentre Plus advisers are now able to offer claimants a comprehensive menu of help including skills provision and job search support. They have the flexibility to judge which interventions will help claimants at the most appropriate point in their job seeking journey, tailoring this to individual need. For example, vulnerable young people often need additional support to find and gain employment. Jobcentre Plus, in partnership with Skills Development Scotland, Community Planning Partnerships, colleges, training providers and employers, has a key role to play in influencing the provision offered locally to best meet the needs of employers and people on benefits.

The flexible support that Jobcentre Plus District Managers are putting in place is being bolstered with a series of Get Britain Working measures such as: Work Clubs, volunteering, work experience, New Enterprise Allowance, Enterprise Clubs, sector-based work academies, and mandatory work experience.