UNEMPLOYMENT in the Vale of Glamorgan has fallen by more than a half in the past five years, according to the latest figures.

Figures released by the Department for Work and Pensions this week showed that the claimant count in the region had dropped by 51 per cent since 2012 to its current level of 1,375.

The figure for 18-24 year olds currently stands at 370 in the Vale which is a 60 per cent decrease in the same period.

The total claimant count in the Vale has dropped by one per cent which equates to 20 people since this time last year and the figure for 18-24 year olds has stayed the same.

Job centre work coach team leader Cath Thomas said the figures have dropped massively over the past five years.

“It is looking really positive,” she said.

“Unemployment has fallen and more and more people are in work.

“The strength of the economy is helping people of all ages find work.”

She said that there is a lot going on in Cardiff and the Vale including the large jobs fair in the city last week which saw more than 2,000 job seekers and more than 40 employers attend.

She said the build-up to the Christmas period has begun with Royal Mail on Penarth Road and Marks and Spencer in Culverhouse Cross recruiting as well as a new Aldi store.

“Our big sectors at the moment are retail, customer service and hospitality and there is all sorts of training going on such as the Movement to Work programme with Tesco.”

On October 6 at Barry Memorial Hall there will be a jobs fair taking place between 10am and 2pm.