About the data
Claimant Count unemployment in Devon has fallen since 2012 in the wake of the financial crisis. Claimant Count data in Devon follows a cyclical pattern; each summer unemployment benefit claimants fall as temporary jobs in the seasonal tourist and agricultural sectors become available. During the autumn this number rises again before peaking around February/March.
Since Q2 2014 the Claimant Count rate has remained below 1%. Whilst low levels of unemployment are good for standard of living and may push up wages, the smaller labour pool can create skill shortages for businesses, inhibiting growth. Targeting the long term unemployed and reskilling labour to meet any knowledge gaps in the economy will be important in the next few years.