THE number of jobless people in York has fallen to triple figures for the first time in more than 30 years.

Figures released by the Office for National Statistics yesterday revealed that last month there were 941 people in York claiming Job Seekers Allowance.

It is the first time the number has fallen below 1,000 and is the lowest for any month since records began in 1983, representing 0.7 per cent of the city's working age population.

The number of claimants in York has fallen by 51.3 percent in the last year, dropping by 107 from last month, and down 1,931 from April 2014.

Julia Davis, partnership and employer relations manager at York Job Centre, in Monkgate, said: "Unemployment continues to fall and it’s great news that there are fewer people out of work and looking for a job.

"The claimant count continues to fall to record low levels, York has a very buoyant labour market with many vacancies for immediate starts in retail, hospitality and the tourism industry."

The figures also showed that the number of young people claiming Job Seekers Allowance has fallen by 60.8 percent in the last year.

In April 2014 the total number of claimants aged 18-24 in York stood at 370 and has reduced by 225 in the past twelve months to 145.

Nationally 1.9 per cent the UK's working age population claim Job Seekers Allowance, with the figure falling by 12,600 in April to 764,000.

The North Yorkshire figure stands at 3,493, the equivalent of 1 per cent, while in the East Riding of Yorkshire jobless figures stand a 3,235 (1.6 per cent). 

Barry Dodd, chairman of the York, North Yorkshire and East Riding Local Enterprise Partnership said: "Clearly the economy is actually doing even better than most of the rest of the UK, and we can be very proud of that.

"It's an absolute tribute and testament to the success of our small companies and their ability to grow."