Jobless total below 5,000

THE number of people out of work in Oldham has fallen — reversing the rise recorded last month when workers came to the end of temporary Christmas contracts.

It is the 12th month out of 13 that unemployment in the borough has fallen.

The total is 4,966 — down 106 on January — only the second time since November 2008 that the figure has been below 5,000.

There are 3,088 men seeking work, down 53, and 1,878 women, down 53 on the previous month.

The year-on-year figures reveal a drop of 3,375 from this time last year when 8,341 people were out of work.