SOARING unemployment caused by the coronavirus crisis has fuelled a rise of up to a third in the number of local people on benefits.

Almost 13,000 more people were claiming Universal Credit in Dorset in Mid-May than a month before.

There were 34,373 people on the benefit in the BCP Council area – a rise of 8,132 since April.

The Universal Credit figure includes some people who are in work but on a low income, but the 31 per cent rise comes after the Covid-19 pandemic laid waste to many jobs.

In the Dorset Council area, the number of Universal Credit claimants stood at 23,459, a rise of 4,826, or 25.9 per cent.

In the New Forest, the figure rose by 33.4 per cent, up 2,424 to 9,689.

Across the South West, there were 414,605 Universal Credit claimants, up by 23.7 per cent. Across Britain, the claimant count was up by a record figure of more than a million, to 5.275million.

Employment minister Mims Davies said: “Today’s figures are starting to show the impact of Covid-19 on our economy, but our furlough scheme, grants, loans and tax cuts have protected thousands of businesses and millions of jobs, setting us up for recovery.

“Already our nationwide network of work coaches have moved in to support jobseekers across sectors and match them with employers who are recruiting. By responding to the needs of communities across the UK they will be at the heart of our revival and renewal, helping people find new roles and move forward with their lives.”

Nationally, more than 600,000 workers were revealed to have lost their jobs, with experts warning worse was to come.

The number of people temporarily away from work, including those on furlough, rose by six million at the end of March into April, hitting 8.4m at the end of April.

Yael Selfin, chief economist at KPMG UK, said: “The true impact of the crisis on the labour market is likely to only be revealed once the job retention scheme starts unwinding in the second half of the year.

“Many businesses are expected to bring only part of their furloughed workers back, while they seek to tentatively reopen after the lockdown.”

The number of vacancies fell around 60 per cent between March and May, according to the Office for National Statistics.

David McArthur, employer and partnership manager for Jobcentre Plus in Dorset and Hampshire, said there were a host of virtual recruitment campaigns and digital solutions to help people into work.

“Despite the disruption caused by the coronavirus outbreak, there are still jobs out there to apply to,” he said.

“We’re here to help you get started. You can also find hints and tips on applying for jobs if you haven’t done so for a while.”

He urged people looking for work to visit findajob.dwp.gov.uk and to see jobhelp.campaign.gov.uk for further advice, including redundancy support and job search ideas. Employers can also find support at employerhelp.dwp.gov.uk