THE number of people in Ceredigion claiming unemployment benefit has dropped by 40 per cent in the last six years.

An Aberystwyth Jobcentre spokesperson said the figures showed that the county’s labour market is “buoyant”.

Figures for August 2016 show that there were 480 people claiming unemployment benefit, a reduction of 319 people from August 2010. The same period has seen a drop of more than 50 per cent in people aged 18 to 24 claiming unemployment benefit.

The Ceredigion figure comes as Wales recorded the largest annual rise in private sector employment of any UK region with an additional 34,000 people in work compared to last year.

The Jobcentre said that the figure in Ceredigion could improve further with any future retail developments in Aberystwyth and Cardigan.

A spokesperson said: “The labour market in Ceredigion continues to be buoyant with vacancies arising from various sectors including construction, retail and hospitality.

“In Aberystwyth we have recently supported the recruitment for the Premier Inn which is due to open in October and are now concentrating our efforts on the new Charlies Store and Mill Street retail development."

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