Wales jobs rate increase highest in UK

The unemployment rate in Wales is flat at 4.4%

Wales has seen the largest increase in jobs since December of all the UK nations and regions.

In March there were 26,000 more jobs in Wales, with an employment rate of 74% of those aged over 16.

Those out of work remained flat, with 68,000 unemployed in Wales between January and March.

There were 1,000 more unemployed than in the last three months, and 19,000 more than before the pandemic struck.

It means Wales has an unemployment rate of 4.4%, slightly lower than the UK as a whole, which stands at 4.8%.

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The latest figures from the Office for National Statistics also show a fall in the number of people who are counted as being economically inactive, by 34,000.

That means fewer people who are not working and are not able to work, because they are sick, caring for others or are a full-time student.

Across the UK, figures for the numbers of people on company payrolls in April has risen steadily, as Covid restrictions are eased and there has been an increase in job vacancies.

The biggest increases have been in health, social work and administration, while the biggest decrease in employment has been in the hospitality sector.

Figures published last week showed just under 160,000 people in Wales were still on furlough at the end of March - the UK government's job retention scheme.

The new economy minister said he was committed to supporting businesses and workers as restrictions eased

Economy Minister Vaughan Gething said individuals and businesses had "faced one of the most difficult years on record" and the Welsh government was "absolutely committed to supporting Welsh businesses".

He said businesses had been helped with over £2bn of financial support, with over 160,000 jobs safeguarded during the pandemic, with business relief schemes and grants in place to help businesses as they reopened.

He said more than 20,000 people had been helped to improve skills and to find work, education or training, with hiring incentives for employers to recruit individuals most affected by Covid-19.

In his first week in his new job, Mr Gething said his "main priority" now was to lead Wales' economic recovery from the pandemic, and he would work with businesses and trade unions in "social partnership".