More people are out of work and claiming Job Seekers Allowance.

THE number of people out of work and claiming Job Seekers Allowance in East Devon rose by 250 to 1,350 between May last year and January 2011.

According to new, official statistics, 1.8 per cent of the district’s population was claiming the benefit in January - less that the national average of 3.7 per cent.

Most of those seeking work were males - 894.

Those aged between 25 and 49 were hardest hit by job losses.

In May last year, 1,100 people in East Devon were claiming Job Seekers Allowance.

However, a further 3,720 were claiming incapacity or similar benefits.

In Honiton, the number of people out of work and claiming Job Seekers Allowance rose, compared to figures from May 2010.

In St Paul’s Ward, 69 people were claiming the allowance in January - compared to 55 in May, when the total number of people, including the disabled, carers and lone parents, claiming benefits in the ward was 400.

In St Michael’s Ward, the number of people claiming Job Seekers Allowance in January was 88, compared to 80 in May, when the total number of people on benefits in the ward was 445.