Unemployment level at record low but Rochdale remains above average

Unemployment in Rochdale at 6.5% is higher than the national average of 4.3%.

Figures released by the Office for National Statistics also show that 64.4% in the borough are in employment, less than the national figure of 75.1%.

Unemploment nationally is the lowest since 1975, according to the official employment figures.

The figures have been driven by increases in full-time and permanent work, and in the last year 20,000 fewer people relying on zero-hour contracts.

Nationally, the female employment rate is also at a near record 70.7%, with over 15 million women in work. There are over 1.4 million more women in work since 2010.

For Rochdale, this figure is well behind the national rate with just 57.4% of women in employment. 8.3% are unemployed.