HUNDREDS more residents in north Essex are claiming jobseekers’ allowance as claimants nationwide top one million.

The number of people in the east of England claiming the benefit has risen to 75,252 in November, up by more than 10,000 from 64,000 three months ago, according to Government statistics released yesterday.

In Colchester, 2,380 people claimed the allowance, up from 1,952 in August; Tendring had 2,599 claimants, up from 2,046 while Braintree had 1,827, a rise from 1,467.

But other figures released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show unemployment in the east of England dropped to 136,000 between August and October, down 10,000 from 146,000 between May and July.

An ONS spokesman said there was a level of inaccuracy in these Labour Force Survey figures, so the unemployment statistics for the previous quarter may have been too high.

Figures showing how this breaks down to Essex are not available.

Nationwide, the claimant count was up 75,700 from last month to 1.07 million, taking the total numbers seeking benefits over the million mark for the first time since January 2001.

Meanwhile, unemployment rose by 137,000 to 1.87 million nationwide – six per cent of the working age population – during the three months until the end of October.

Employment Minister Tony McNulty said: “This month’s labour market figures are very disappointing.

“We have put in place extra help and support that will ensure everyone who becomes unemployed stands the best chance possible of getting back to work, including making available £79 million of additional European Social Fund money.”

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