Unemployment has fallen in Cumbria for the fourth month in a row.

There were 5,280 job hunters claiming Jobseeker's Allowance or Universal Credit last month, 1.8 per cent of the workforce, down from a restated figure of 5,325 in July.

The claimant count fell in three of the county's six districts.

Copeland saw the biggest drop; with the figure falling by 30 to 1,165 (2.7 per cent). They were followed by Allerdale and Barrow, which both saw a drop of 20 to 1,520 (2.6 per cent) and 1,045 (2.5 per cent) respectively.

There was no change in Eden, where the figure remained 230 (0.7 per cent).

In Carlisle and South Lakeland there was an increase of 10 in the overall figure to 990 (1.5 per cent) and 320 (0.6 per cent) respectively.

Shane Byrne, partnership manager for Jobcentre Plus in Cumbria, was pleased with the figures.

He said: "I think these figures are pretty positive and I am really pleased with them. Any fall across the whole of the county is welcomes and Universal Jobmatach (the software system used by the organisation to help people into jobs) has never been as busy."

My Byrne added that the clients Jobcentre Plus was committed to helping people into the most suitable kinds of employment for them and said it was particularly keen in Cumbria to help young people, older people and the disabled. Several schemes are available to help this latter group into work.

Nationally, Britain's "strong" labour market has seen employment jump to record levels.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said the number of people in work reached another all-time high, climbing by 181,000 to 32.13m between May and July.

Matt Hughes, senior ONS statistician, said: "Another record high employment rate and record low inactivity rate suggest the labour market continues to be strong."

Minister for Employment, Damian Hinds said: “The strength of the economy is helping people of all ages find work, from someone starting their first job after leaving education, to those who might be starting a new career later in life."