Decrease in unemployment in Derry and Strabane

5,823 people were in receipt of unemployment related benefits in the Derry and Strabane district council area in April.

There has also been a decrease (14 per cent) in the number of people out of work over the 12 month period from April 2015 to April 2016. In total, 947 fewer people were in receipt of unemployment related benefits.

More than six per cent (6.1 per cent) of the number of people of working age in Derry and Strabane claimed unemployment related benefits in April. The total number of people out of work in Derry and Strabane in April was 5,823.

Although 179 fewer people were in receipt of unemployment related benefits in Derry and Strabane from March to April, the local council area still has the highest level of unemployment in the North.

The average unemployment rate in the North is 3.2 per cent.

The monthly Labour Market Survey is carried out by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency.