THE number of people signing on in Welwyn Hatfield has rocketed by 36 per cent since October. The gloomy figures, released by the Office for National Statistics, show the number of people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance in the borough has risen from 1,013
THE number of people signing on in Welwyn Hatfield has rocketed by 36 per cent since October.
The gloomy figures, released by the Office for National Statistics, show the number of people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance in the borough has risen from 1,013 in October to 1,374 in January.
The statistics also show the number of people signing on has increased each month for the past seven months.
Tim Hutchings, chief executive of the Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce, described the data as "concerning" and placed the blame for the economic downturn firmly at the door of the financial services industry.
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