Milton Keynes has one of the lowest increases in unemployment in the country

With concerns about the possible effects of coronavirus on different labour markets, the Office for National Statistics has today released the latest official statistics on claimant counts.

The data shows the initial picture of the impact the first few weeks of the lockdown – up to April 9 – have had on employment opportunities across the country.

And Milton Keynes has seen one of the smallest increases in unemployment - with a rise of 1.3 per cent.

A number of factors are driving these results – industry composition, use of the Job Retention Scheme, eligibility for benefits among others.

And reducing this number will be the biggest challenge for the Government for months ahead.