THE number of people out of work in Worcestershire rose slightly last month, having fallen in previous months.

The figures showed 6,352 people out of work in the county for July - an increase of 47 on the previous month, but still showing that just 2.5 per cent of the workforce is unemployed.

Nationally the picture could not be brighter, showing the lowest number of people out of work since the survey began in 1984.

The number of people unemployed was down last month by 22,700 to 1,069,800.

In the city of Worcester 14 people were added to the jobless total, bringing to 1,774 the number claiming state benefit.

However, in Herefordshire unemployment fell with seven less people out of work, bringing the total to 1,847, or 2.3 per cent of the workforce.

The figures, issued by the Office for National Statistics, indicated a generally healthy state of the West Midlands economy, with the seasonally adjusted number of claimants falling slightly.

There was hardly any change in the number of people out of work in Kidderminster, an increase of just three from June to 1,268, while in Evesham the jobless total rose from 434 in June to 444 last month.

In Malvern the figure increased by three to 562, but still showed just two per cent of the workforce unemployed.

In Leominster the news was more positive with 274 people claiming, five less than the previous month.

Data for the West Midlands workforce showed the employment rate at 73.8 per cent, compared with 73.9 per cent a year previously.