THE number of people claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance in Great Yarmouth has fallen by 15pc since the start of the year.

According to figures from the Office of National Statistics, the figure fell from 3,799 in January to 3,210 in May.

In East Anglia, the number fell significantly to 25,789, from 27,302 in January, representing a drop of over 5pc from the start of the year, and almost 3pc alone since April.

The total for May this year dropped more than 2pc from the same month in 2010 and 9pc on 2009.

But in Norwich, as with the national total, there was a rise in claims.

There were 4,363 people receiving the benefit during May, the most recent month for which records are available, up from 4,203 in January.

This showed a rise of almost 4pc, while the government claims 19,600 more claimants were paid across the UK that month than in April.

The number of men out of work and claiming benefit in East Anglia as a total also fell compared to a year ago, but the number of women on Jobseeker’s Allowance rose.

In Norfolk there were 1,063 fewer men claiming the benefit in May 2011 than in the same month the previous year, but 477 more women.

In Suffolk there were 215 less men but 573 more women.

Despite the gloomy picture painted by the number of benefits claimants, the government claims that much of the increase is due to a reorganisation of benefit schemes.

According to official figures released today, unemployment – a different measure to the number of people claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance – fell by 88,000 over the last quarter, the biggest drop in a decade.

Government figures suggest that this takes the total number of people out of work to 2.43m, or 7.7pc of the economically active population.

Employment minister Chris Grayling said: “This is another encouraging set of figures and a very welcome drop in unemployment.”