The number of young people on Jobseekers Allowance in Caerphilly County Borough has decreased by 30%.
Between May and July this year the overall number of jobseekers is down 22% compared with the same period last year.
There number of young Jobseekers is down from 1,195 in April. which in turn was down from 1,500 in February.
Ian Mattey, the Job Centre’s Employment Engagement manager for South East Wales, said: “They are really positive strong figures that align with the national news.
“There is a real feel that young people are more flexible in the type of work they want to do. They are digital natives so there’s a breadth of work for them.”
However, figures released by the Office of National Statistics show that employment in Wales lags behind the the rest of the UK, with 18,000 less people in work than last year.
In Wales the employment rate is 69% compared with 77% in the South East and East of England. The economic inactivity rate is also highest in Wales at 26%, but the unemployment rate in Wales has not changed since the period February to April.
The jobless total continues to stand at 96,000, for the period May to July, a rate of 6.7% and Welsh Secretary Stephen Crabb said unemployment among young people was continuing to fall.
The figures come as a report by academics at Sheffield Hallam University said the South East Wales Valleys are the hardest hit by the UK Government’s welfare reform.
The report commissioned by the Industrial Communities Alliance said 3,000 consumer jobs could be lost in the Valleys as a result of the reforms.
Islwyn MP Chris Evans said: “‘I am deeply concerned that the government’s welfare reforms will have such a devastating impact on Wales – taking £1billion out of our economy every year.
“The findings in this report indicate that people in the Caerphilly Borough will be around £640 worse off because of the reforms. But look at little closer, and many people will be hit much harder.
“For example, working-age people in Aberbargoed are estimated to be £840 worse off a year because of the welfare reforms.
“This will undoubtedly lead to job losses in the community and, potentially, people having to move away to find work.
“The harm caused by the government’s welfare reforms will last for generations in the Valleys; and it is only by repealing legislation like the ‘Bedroom Tax’ that we can start to heal this.”
The thing with welfare reform is the welfare payments being cut should never have been introduced in the first place. It’s a bit like a bank wrongly giving you money, you spending it and then complaining when they no longer give you money. The claimants should never have received so many benefits in the beginning.
I would say they are not worse off but how they should be.