Since 2010, an average of some 1,000 people have entered the workplace every day, meaning more and more families across the country have the security of employment and a regular pay packet.
In Crawley, we have seen unemployment fall by 60 per cent in this time; only possible with policies in place that are pro-worker and pro-business as part of the building of a stronger, fairer economy which continues to create more jobs.
What is not always mentioned, however, is what this means for families. Across the south east of England, there are now over 47,000 fewer children in households with no one working.
Nationally, this figure is at a record low, with around 29,000 fewer children throughout the United Kingdom living in workless households since last year.
Across Britain, the number of workless households is now down by more than 960,000 over the last eight years, with the proportion of workless households now at its lowest level since records began in 1996. The fall over the last year alone was more than 11,000.
In addition to financial security, this also means that more children will see a role model in their own home, giving them a better chance in life. The number of workless households – where no one of working-age is in work – has dropped by a million over the last eight years.
This means more children and families in Crawley with the security that comes with a good job and a regular salary, particularly with wages now rising faster than prices.
With record high employment our town’s new school leavers can look forward to a growing jobs market and enhanced prospects for their future careers. The number of people out of work may be at its lowest in four decades, but there is more to be done to ensure opportunities continue and increase for the next generation.
Henry Smith MP