WIRRAL saw a slight increase in the number of people claiming jobseeker's allowance last month, latest official figures reveal.

The rise - from 8,734 in March to 8,748 for April - mirrors the national picture where the claimant count increased by 12,400 to 1.47m.

Available vacancies reported by the borough's Job Centres also dropped, from 681 to 634, meaning 13 people are chasing each job.

Nationally, the number of women claimants hit a 14-and-a-half year high increasing by 9,300 to 474,400, the highest level since October 1996.

The number of female claimants locally also increased by 126, from 2,615 to 2,741.

The surge in the female claimant count came as more single mothers switched from income support to JSA, due to changes in benefit rules introduced in 2008, the ONS said.

Elsewhere, the number of people out of work on the Government's preferred "International Labour Organisation" measure fell to 2.46m, taking the unemployment rate to 7.7%, from 7.8% in the previous quarter.

The number of jobless 16-to-24 year olds decreased by 30,000 over the quarter to 935,000.

The number of out of work 16-to-17 year olds decreased by 1,000 on the quarter to 211,000, while the level of unemployed 18-to-24 year olds fell by 29,000 to 724,000.

Employment Minister Chris Grayling said: “These are welcome figures showing another rise in full-time employment in the private sector.

"It’s good news to see that unemployment is also going in the right direction and pleasing that unemployment has fallen for young people."

Wirral unemployment numbers could spiral by more than 300 if management at closure-threatened Burton’s Foods decide not to proceed with a trade union-devised plan to save jobs.

Bosses said on Monday they will make an announcement to workers this Friday over the future of the plant, which could move from biscuit manufacture to seasonal packing and chocolate refining.