The number of people on the dole in Sussex has fallen by seven per cent in the past year, figures have revealed.

Statistics published to MPs show 17,031 men and women in the county claimed Jobseekers' Allowance (JSA) this March.

That was 1,200 fewer than the 18,311 claimants in March 2006.

The data, broken down by Parliamentary constituency, show that Hastings and Rye is home to the largest number of jobless claimants - 2,039, down from 2,139 last year.

The area with the fewest claimants is Mid Sussex (458, down from 537), which has the 14th lowest claimant count in the country.

Across Brighton and Hove's three Parliamentary constituencies, the number of claimants fell by six per cent over the year, from 5,660 to 5,321.

The figures, which come from the Office for National Statistics, show that since 1997, when there were 33,505 people in Sussex on JSA, the number of claimants has fallen by a massive 49 per cent.

JSA is the main benefit for unemployed people who are looking for a job. It is only paid to people who are capable of working, available and actively seeking work.

Individuals aged between 18 and 24 can claim £46.85 a week, rising to £59.15 for those over 24.

According to the Department for Work and Pensions there are now 729,600 fewer people across the UK claiming JSA than in 1997.

A DWP spokesman said: "Programmes like the New Deal have delivered training, skills and qualifications and in turn have helped 1.7 million people into work.

"A strong and stable economy helps ensure a high level of job creation, exemplified by the fact that we have near record numbers in work - almost 29 million - and well over 600,000 vacancies."

But Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary Philip Hammond said: "For all Labour's claims of success, official unemployment is rising and is now over 100,000 higher than this time last year.

"Most worrying of all is the increase in youth unemployment which is up 15,000 on the last quarter. The Chancellor's welfare to work policies have failed."

UNEMPLOYMENT IN SUSSEX Constituency Number claiming dole Arundel and South Downs 494 Bexhill and Battle 798 Bognor & Littlehampton 1,088 Brighton Kemptown 1,813 Brighton Pavilion 1,918 Chichester 806 Crawley 1,019 East Worthing & Shoreham 829 Eastbourne 1,531 Hastings & Rye 2,039 Horsham 682 Hove 1,590 Lewes 761 Mid Sussex 458 Wealden 485 West Worthing 720 TOTAL 17,031