EMPLOYMENT figures from the Office of National Statistics for September, released last week, show a record high of 75.3 per cent, with 32.14 million people now in work – an increase of 379,000 on the year.

According to the statistics, there are around 774,000 vacancies in the economy at any one time and the number of people in employment has increased by more than three million since 2010.

The female employment rate is at a record high of 70.8 per cent, with more than 15.1 million women in work, and the UK has the third highest employment rate in the G7.

East Hampshire is reflective of the national trend with 425 people claiming benefits while looking for work, down 10 on last year.

A spokesman for the Department of Work and Pensions said: “Employment will never be at 100 per cent, as there will always be people between jobs, but this is a really great result. If we look back over five years the unemployment rate in the East Hampshire area is down a massive 55 per cent.”

Jobcentres at Alton and Bordon offer a range of services to help people find work such as CV writing, job searches and digital help. The labour market is said to be “very buoyant” with hundreds of new job vacancies being listed each week.

Commenting on the situation, Minster for Employment and East Hampshire MP Damian Hinds said: “The strength of the economy is helping people of all ages find work, from someone starting their first job after leaving education to those who might be starting a new career later in life.

“Britain’s employment success is largely about a growth in full-time and permanent work, as employers invest in Britain and offer quality job opportunities that put more money into people’s pockets.

“But there is more to do, and we will continue to build on our achievements through our employment programmes and the work of Jobcentre Plus.”

* Petersfield Jobcentre closed on September 8 with customers now being served by Havant Jobcentre. According to the Department of Work and Pensions, this was “part of a series of planned closures to give customers access to improved services at larger jobcentres while rationalising our estate”. But an assurance was given that there were no plans to close jobcentres at either Alton or Bordon.