UNEMPLOYMENT in Gwent fell fractionally in May, but youth unemployment remained high, with some parts of the region registering twice the UK average.

According to the latest figures released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), the number of people across the region claiming job seekers allowance (JSA) fell by 140 from 13,377 in April to 13,237 in May.

Blaenau Gwent bucked the trend, seeing an extra 30 people aged 16-64 sign on, and whilst small improvements were seen, only Monmouthshire had JSA claimant rates below the UK average.

In Monmouthshire 2.8% of the population aged between 16-64 were claiming JSA compared to a UK average of 3.9% and a Welsh average of 4.1%.

But Newport (5.9%), Torfaen (5.4%) and Blaenau Gwent (8%) all remained above the Welsh and UK average.

Youth unemployment remained high too.

In Newport 11.6% of the population aged between 18-24 were registered as claiming JSA compared to a Welsh average of 8.7% while in the valleys the picture was bleaker still with Torfaen seeing 13.1% of its young people unemployed and Blaenau Gwent 18.5%, more than twice the UK average of 7.5%.