THE number of Warrington residents claiming unemployment benefit has doubled since lockdown came into force.
Centre for Cities has published a regional analysis of the unemployment statistics released by the ONS.
They are the first indication of where the economy has taken the hardest hit since lockdown.
The figures show the percentage of people claiming unemployment benefit has risen from 2.1 per cent in March to 4.6 per cent in April.
A total of 2,710 people in Warrington were claiming for unemployment in March, while in April it increased to 5,995.
Claimant counts are up everywhere in the country but cities and towns in the north and midlands have seen the highest increases and rates overall.
People claiming unemployment benefits has increased the most in Blackpool, Liverpool, Hull, Belfast and Manchester.
It has increased least in Cambridge, Oxford, Reading, Aldershot and Milton Keynes.
You can see more information and figures at www.centreforcities.org
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