Small rise in jobless total

OLDHAM claimants of Job Seekers Allowance rose by 37 in February.

There were 2,732 claimants of JSA - 1,632 men and 1,063 women - in January, and 1,665 men and 1,077 women in February. The combined total of JSA and jobless Universal Credit claimants was 4,662 - 1,494 down on a year ago.

Overall in the North-West, there are 117,000 more people in work than at the same time last year.