Youth unemployment in Brighton and Hove has dropped and is well below the national and regional average.

New quarterly figures from the Office of National Statistics show 110 less 18-24-year-olds claimed out of work benefits in the city.

This puts youth unemployment in Brighton and Hove at 2.5% - compared to 3.1% in the South East and 5.1% in the UK.

General unemployment is also below the national average.

The number of people claiming Jobseekers Allowance (JSA) in Sussex is 2.1% - lower than the UK figure of 3%.

JSA claims stands at 4,784 in Brighton and Hove and is on a downward trend since peaking in January 2010 at 7,817 (4.1%).

Back in January 1994 JSA claims were at 18,065 - 11.7% of the working age population.

Tony Mernagh, executive director of the Brighton and Hove Economic Partnership, said: “Youth unemployment has been a priority for the past three years for the multi-agency City Employment and Skills Steering Group which I chair.

“The fall in Brighton numbers for youth unemployment is a testament to the hard work of a number of agencies, especially our local Job Centre Plus, City College and the city council.

“However, we aren't cheering at the latest figures. One single young person unemployed in the city is one too many.

“The potential damage that is caused by a period of unemployment at the start of a young person's working life prevents any of us from falling into complacency.”

Simon Royston, managing director of Red Flag Recruitment, said: “Any drop in youth unemployment and those claiming Job Seekers Allowance has to be welcomed.

“There are plenty of organisations within the city that have helped contribute to these numbers and they should be congratulated.

“The market is still highly competitive and job seekers must be well-prepared and highly organised in their job search.

“While business confidence has improved, budgets remain tight and job seekers must impress at interview to convince employers they should be offered a position.”