UNEMPLOYMENT continues to plummet across Worcestershire as the number of people out of work nationally has seen the largest annual fall since records began more than 40 years ago.

The number of claiming job seekers allowance in the county has decreased by 326 to 5,452 during September.

Since its peak in August 2009, the claimant count has fallen by 7,817 and is now just 301 above the pre-recession low in December 2007. This makes it the lowest level since June 2008.

The number of jobless at 1.5 per cent of the 16 to 64 residents in Worcestershire is significantly lower than in the West Midlands who have 2.8 per cent out of work and compared to England at 2.1 per cent.

The number of younger job seekers (18 to 24-year-olds) claiming has also decreased by 40 to 1,440 (3.1 per cent).

Nationally, the number of unemployed people is now below two million for the first time since 2008.

In the largest annual fall since the 1970s – when Donny Osmond topped the charts with Puppy Love - there are now over half a million fewer unemployed people than there were a year ago.

The unemployment rate has also fallen again - to six per cent - a new six-year low.

This compares to an unemployment rate of 7.7 per cent just a year ago.

Over the last year every single region and nation in the UK has seen a fall in unemployment.

There are now a record 30.76 million people in work. Compared to 2010 there are more than two million more people in private sector jobs – more than the total number of people currently unemployed.

Employment Minister Esther McVey said: “All of our reforms are focussed on helping people into work and today’s record figures show that the Government’s long-term economic plan to help businesses create jobs and get people working again is proving successful."

Success has been attributed to schemes like the Government’s Work Programme.