UNEMPLOYMENT in Bracknell and Wokingham is a mixed picture this summer after an influx of students signing on to job seekers allowance during the summer break.

There was a 70 per cent increase in the number of young people aged 18 to 24 in Wokingham who are receiving out of work benefits in July, an increase of 36 per cent on the same period last year.

In Bracknell there was an 11 per cent increase in young unemployed people, with 105 signed on.

Overall unemployment for adults aged over 25 in Wokingham was also significantly higher this July as compared to July 2015, up by 70 per cent to 570 claimants.

However, Jane Sayer, relationship manager for Bracknell, said employment prospects were improving with the imminent opening of The Lexicon in Bracknell.

She said: "Where there has been slight increases in unemployment for young people that is to do with the number of students signing on for the summer.

"The 70 per cent jump in unemployment in Wokingham is I think to do with a great deal more employment opportunities opening up in Bracknell Forest, obviously the reason being the regeneration project. We hope people will travel and get the train and look at jobs in Bracknell."

Overall, unemployment is generally down in both Bracknell and Wokingham with the number of young unemployed down by 63 per cent since 2010 and unemployment for those aged over 25 down by 72 per cent over the past six years.

Bracknell MP Dr Phillip Lee tweeted about the "very welcome" figures: