MP for West Devon and Torridge Geoffrey Cox has welcomed record-breaking figures released last week showing that there are more people in work than ever before, with 226,000 more people in work across the South West.

Since 2010, there are over 2.7-million more people across the United Kingdom in work.

In West Devon and Torridge, the number of people claiming the key out of work benefits has fallen by 598 — a 50% drop — since 2010.

These figures show that the record high employment rate has been fuelled by full-time work, which has accounted for three quarters of the employment growth since 2010 and that average wages grew by 2.4% over the last year. 

Mr Cox said: ‘These figures show that employment is growing across all the regions and nations of the United Kingdom as we build a Britain that works for everyone not just the privileged few. 

‘The number of people in Torridge and West Devon relying on the key out of work benefits has fallen by 598 since 2010 — a 50% drop.  Nevertheless, we cannot be complacent. It is essential that work should pay a decent living wage and that we press ahead with welfare reforms like Universal Credit to make sure that it always pays for people to be in work rather than on benefits. 

‘With the employment rate at a record high, the unemployment rate at its lowest level in over ten years, and wages up whilst inflation has remained low, we are making sure that everyone can share in the country’s wealth.’