Unemployment continues to rise in Northern Ireland

Thursday 15 July 10

The amount of people in Northern Ireland claiming unemployment benefit has increased again in June.

The figure rose from 55,500 to 56,100 from May to June.  The claimant figures have increase by 13.6% in the past year.

Despite a decrease in unemployment throughout the rest of the UK by 34,000, the figure continues to rise in Northern Ireland.

The Labour Force Survey has released figures that the unemployment rate between March and May was 7%, up 0.6% from the previous quarter and the same period 12 months earlier.

Enterprise Minister Arlene Foster said she was disappointed because claimant levels had remained "fairly static" over the first five months of the year.

She added that the Northern Ireland economy would face further pressures from the cuts in Public Spending.

Northern Ireland's rate of economic inactivity, defined by those who are not in employment but are not actively seeking jobs, is the highest in the UK, 5.2% more than the nationwide average.