ONE in five households in Ceredigion are out of work, according to national statistics - a rate higher than the national average.

Figures from the Office of National Statistics estimate that last year there were around 4,000 workless households in the area.

According to the ONS, a household is defined as workless if every person aged from 16-64 in the house is not in employment at the time of the annual population survey.

In Wales, 17 per cent of households were out of work, and across the UK the figure falls to 15 per cent.

Across Wales, the most common reason people gave for not being in work was being sick or disabled - 42 per cent of out-of-work individuals cited illness or disability as the primary reason for not working.

Students made up 10 per cent of the group, and 11 per cent were early retirees.

A spokesperson from the Department for Work and Pensions said: “Since 2010 the proportion of workless households is down in every region of Great Britain.

“The unemployment rate remains at its lowest since 1971, but we’re committed to ensuring that everyone who wants to work has the opportunity to do so - while making sure there is a safety net for those who can’t.”

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