It is good to hear that the unemployment number has come down recently but I do feel this is all because of extra staff needed in the run-up to Christmas.

Many of these extra staff are young people, I suppose.

As stores and hotels enter the New Year, I think the unemployment number will go up again.

Until the city gets back into the spring and summer, all we have in our city is student business income and our entertainment trade.

We could do with light factories as it’s our middle-aged men on the long-term unemployment list.

Generally speaking, the unemployment number will never go down because of the retirement age being put up to over 65 years of age. Those in work at the moment have to work until they are 67.

The way to bring down the unemployment number is to lower the retirement age for both males and females to the age of 60.

For those who want to work part-time, this could be raised to the age of 70. This will leave room for younger people, I hope, to get into working life.

That is if they want to work, instead of living the benefit lifestyle.

Alex Dixon, Upper Hollingdean Road, Brighton