THE number of Job Seeker’s Allowance claimants in Teignbridge increased slightly last month.

In January there were 621 claimants and in February that number rose to 632, an increase of 1.8 per cent.

Across Devon the number of claimants between January and February rose by 172 to 3,924.

A spokesman for Devon County Council said: ‘Small rises are to be expected at this time of year, given the seasonal nature of Devon’s employment.

‘However, despite this small rise, the figure in Devon is still 13.6 per cent lower than the same period last year, and 65 per cent lower than in 2012.

‘In Teignbridge there has been a 17.6 per cent fall since last year. Last February there were 767 JSA claimants in the area and this year there are 632.’

The proportion of the county’s working age population now stands at 0.9 per cent, an increase of 0.1 per cent on January. This number is below the national average of 1.6 per cent.

Cllr Andrew Leadbetter, Devon County Council’s cabinet member for economy and growth, said: ‘It’s encouraging to see February’s figures well below those from the same period last year.

‘However, we as a council recognise that more needs to be done, and we continue to work closely with local businesses and educational institutions to ensure the overall trend for reductions in JSA claimants continues.

‘This includes continued collaboration on local enterprise partnership-wide schemes to boost high productivity employment and use European funds to help upskill our workforce; our countywide enterprise in schools grant; and schemes such as the Devon delivers business promotion grant, which helps businesses tap into growing markets.’