THE number of jobless households in towns across East Lancashire topped 47,000 last year, new figures have revealed.

Over the last four years, more households where nobody works have been recorded in Burnley, Hyndburn, Pendle and the Ribble Valley.

Information released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) also showed a fall in Blackburn with Darwen, Rossendale, and Chorley.

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The data shows that almost 30 per cent of households in both Hyndburn and Pendle now don’t have a bread winner — the highest rates in East Lancashire.

Hyndburn and Haslingden MP Graham Jones said: “The government’s economic plan is not working.

“They have hit the north and East Lancashire particularly hard and it’s shocking that people want to work but can’t get it.

“The council and I are trying to create more jobs in the area. We are trying to expand the number of industrial estates, and we are working very hard with high-growth companies, and in terms of skills in employment.

“I’m working with Jobcentre Plus on a training programme, and the council is working with employers on jobs fairs.“We are doing everything we can to offset the economic problems that face the UK.”

Despite reducing the number of workless homes from 11,000 in 2010 to 10,000 last year, Blackburn with Darwen still rocketed up an unemployment list of shame, produced by the ONS. Out of 134 local authorities, it was placed at 15 last year, compared to 24 in 2010.

Blackburn’s Labour MP Jack Straw said: “There are historic reasons why progress may not be as fast in Blackburn as elsewhere, but it’s significantly better than it was 20 years ago.”