New figures show 959 fewer people in Chelsea and Fulham claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance compared to 2010 - a 47 per cent drop. This means that more people are in work, with the self-respect and security of a good job and a regular pay packet.
Over half a million people are getting off benefits and into work across London, with 533,000 more people in work since the last election.
Overall there are now a record 30.9 million people in work, with 1.9 million more people in work since the last election. This has been driven by businesses creating jobs, with 2.3 million new jobs in the private sector.
These new jobs are not insecure or poorly paid. Three quarters of new jobs since the last election are full-time, and as the new figures also confirm that pay is now rising above inflation - with total pay up 1.6 per cent on the year, well ahead of inflation, which was 0.6 per cent over the period.
Jobs are being created in Chelsea and Fulham by businesses like Chelsea Apps Factory – which started from scratch in 2010 and currently employs 70 people across its Fulham and Edinburgh offices. They have ambitions to double in size over the next 18 months.
Greg Hands MP said: “It’s excellent news that 959 fewer people are relying on Jobseeker’s Allowance in Chelsea and Fulham. Coming alongside the news that wages are rising faster than prices, it’s clear that the Conservatives’ long term economic plan is working for families in our area, helping them to be more financially secure.
“This is happening because, working through our plan, we’ve been backing businesses with better infrastructure and lower jobs taxes to create more real jobs, and fixing welfare so that work always pays. These aren’t insecure or poorly paid jobs. In fact three quarters have been full-time and wages are rising. Locally we’ve seen this working with new jobs at businesses like Chelsea Apps Factory, which I visited recently.
“Voters face a clear choice on 7 May. Either we stick with the Conservatives’ plan which is delivering jobs, so more people have the self-respect and peace of mind that comes with a regular pay packet; or we put all that at risk with an Ed Miliband government propped up by the SNP, bringing economic chaos with the same old policies for more spending, more borrowing and higher taxes that got us into a mess before.”