UNEMPLOYMENT in Dorset continues to fall buoyed by a strong labour market, new figures show.

The Department of Work and Pensions has released the latest employment figures showing that once again the number of people claiming Job Seekers Allowance is down.

In Weymouth and Portland there were 690 people in total claiming JSA in June 2014. Now there are 450. Similarly in West Dorset in June 2014 there were 365 people on JSA, but now there are 300. And in Purbeck, 235 claimed JSA in June 2015, while in June 2015 160 did.

David McArthur, Senior Account Manager for the DWP, said that the figures for unemployment in the under 24s and the over 50s were equally as impressive.

As of June 2015 there were 100, 18-24 year olds claiming JSA in Weymouth and Portland and only 65 in West Dorset.

For the over 50s it can be seen that as of June 2015 there were 100 people claiming JSA aged 50+ in Weymouth and Portland and only 95 in West Dorset.

Mr McArthur said that those people on JSA this year will not necessarily be the same who where claiming it last year, as the majority of people on JSA were helped back to work within 13 weeks.

He added that there was a strong labour market in the cheffing, care and construction industries and there was a “feeling of optimistic and buoyancy” in the labour market.

He said: “Construction is going from strength to strength. With the work that will be happening on infrastructure around Poole Port and Bournemouth Airport – there’s definitely a buzz around construction.”