OFFICIAL employment figures last month showed unemployment was at 4.3 per cent, the lowest since 1975.

The figures, released by the Office for National Statistics, also show that there are now 32.10 million people in work – 317,000 more than last year.

These figures are said to be driven by increases in full-time and permanent work, and in the last year there are 20,000 fewer people relying on zero-hour contracts.

The female employment rate is also at a near record 70.7 per cent, with more than 15 million women in work. But mothers aged between 16 and 49 are still less likely to be in employment than women without dependent children of the same age.

One area of focus for the Government is therefore getting more women into work, and in the process boosting their pay income.

Analysis by the Institute for Fiscal Studies found that time out of the labour market has a substantial impact on women’s salaries. On returning to work, women earn around two per cent less on average for every year spent out of paid work.

According to research by PwC, addressing the career break penalty could provide a £1.7billion boost to the UK’s annual economic output. In this year’s spring budget, £5million was allocated to increase the number of schemes in the public and private sector for people returning to work after a career break caring for children or family members.

In welcoming the figures, Minister for Employment Damian Hinds, the Tory MP for East Hampshire, said: “There’s great news in the South East where there is a near record number of people in work at 4.593 million and, at 79.2 per cent, the employment rate is also a near record level.

“At 3.3 per cent, the South East’s unemployment has fallen on the year and is one per cent below the national rate of 4.3 per cent. Our economy is helping to create full-time, permanent jobs which are giving people across the UK the chance of securing a reliable income.

“We’ve boosted the income for people on the lowest pay by increasing the National Living Wage and delivered the fastest pay rise for the lowest earners in 20 years.

“That’s great progress and we’re determined to help more people flourish in the world of work.”

The number of claimants within East Hampshire was 340, which was largely unchanged.