Derry/Strabane dole rate rises to 4.9% with jump in female JSA and UC claimant count

The latest labour market report shows the rate of Jobseekers' Allowance (JSA) or Universal Credit (UC) claimants in Derry/Strabane has risen to 4.9 per cent. This is up from 4.8 per cent month-on-month.

The statistics show the percentage of dole claimants in Derry is 0.8 per cent higher than in Belfast where the rate has also risen to 4.1 per cent.

The monthly report shows that 4,625 (4.9 per cent of working-age people) people are now claiming either JSA or UC in Derry and Strabane.

The male rate has declined slightly month-on-month from 6.3 per cent to 6.1 per cent (2,815 claimants) while the female rate has risen from 3.4 per cent to 3.7 per cent (1,810 claimants).

The overall rate remains three percentage points higher than Lisburn and Castlereagh where the rate rose slightly over the month to 1.9 per cent.