JOBLESS rates are mainly on the rise in East Lancashire, with Burnley the region’s unemployment blackspot.

Hyndburn also suffered a big increase, while Ribble Valley and Rossendale rates went up less significantly, according to latest figures.

Pendle and Blackburn with Darwen, however, saw encouraging falls.

Official year-on-year Department for Work and Pensions statistics for the year last month show an increase of 14 per cent across Burnley, with 1,835 claimants, up 220.

The Hyndburn rate grew by 10 per cent, with 1,370 out of work, up 120.

Ribble Valley and Rossendale suffered smaller increases, four per cent and one per cent respectively with 260 jobless in Ribble Valley and 905 in Rossendale. Ten more people were seeking work in each borough.

Pendle saw the bigger fall, at seven per cent. Some 1,110 people were without work, 85 fewer than last year.

In Blackburn with Darwen the fall was five per cent, with 2,610 claimants in the borough, 125 fewer year on year.

Pendle MP Andrew Stephenson said “It’s great to see another fall in unemployment in Pendle and a record number of vacancies advertised.

“We’ve come a long way in the last seven years – there are 2.8 million more people in work and unemployment is at its lowest since 1975, but there is more work still to be done.”

The national employment rate is at a joint record high of 74.8 per cent, with 31.95 million people in work.

In the North West the unemployment rate is 4.2 per cent against the national rate of 4.6 per cent. The number of people in work in the region is at a record high of 3.45 million.

Responding to the North West regional figures, Work and Pensions secretary David Gauke said: “It’s good news in the North West, where the number of people in work is at a record high of 3.45 million.”

Mr Gauke added: “At 4.2 per cent the unemployment rate in the North west is lower than the national rate of 4.6 per cent.”