THE number of people claiming jobseekers’ allowance in Colchester has fallen to its lowest in nine years.

Almost 1,000 more people are now in work rather than claiming the benefit, according to the latest labour market statistics.

Dave Cope, senior business development manager for JobCentre Plus in Essex, said: “It is a significant reduction and very pleasing.”

Claimant numbers dropped below 1,500 for the first time since July 2005 in the town compared to about 2,400 this time last year.

Across the county almost 10,000 people are back in work and off benefits with 18,288 claimants in November 2014 compared with 28,132 in November 2013.

Mr Cope said: “It is due to the combination of a couple of things.

“We have very active teams at the Job Centre working with local employers to try and get the unemployed into work as best we can.

“And there has undeniably been significantly more opportunities than a year ago as we move out of recession.”

Jobseekers in Colchester have lost their High Street location this week, with the office moving to Chapel Street South, but they have gained more modern facilities fit for purpose.

Mr Cope said: “We can offer a very modern environment, more computers, wifi and a less formal environment.

“Less desks and more comfortable areas giving us greater opportunities to deliver in a more focused office.”

Nationally 115,000 more people got jobs between August and October than had them between May and July.

Compared to the previous year there are 455,000 more in work.

The average monthly income before tax is £1,976 and there are less than two million unemployed people.

Business Secretary Vince Cable said: "Today we've had another remarkable set of labour market figures, which show that the strong performance of the labour market has been broad-based. “This has led to an almost record share of the UK working age population being in work.

“In addition we are now seeing rises in average pay growth above inflation, meaning annual real wage rises for many workers."

"However there is still more to be done.

“Although youth unemployment has fallen in the past year, it remains too high.”

About 95 per cent of jobs created in the past 12 months were full time.