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.

There were 1,257 people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance in Worcester in September, a fall of 80 people from the previous month and a fall of 613 from the previous year according to figures published today. This represents year-on-year decrease of 32 per cent in the number of people making claims.

The story was repeated in Malvern Hills where the number of people claiming JSA fell to 542 for September (from 820 the previous September), a year-on-year fall in unemployment of 33 per cent . For Wychavon which includes Pershore, Droitwich and Evesham the number of claimants fell from 1,190 (September 2013) to 790 (September this year), a year-on-year fall of 34 per cent. In Wyre Forest which includes Kidderminster and Stourport the number of claimants fell from 1,978 (September 2013) to 1,107 (September this year), a year-on-year fall of 44 per cent.

The number of unemployed people is now below two million for the first time since 2008, figures published today by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show.

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 6 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 over 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.