Unemployment levels in Braintree district have dropped slightly, although youths continue to struggle to find work.

The latest figures, released on Wednesday, show that the number of people claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) in May in the district dropped to 2,554.

This is in comparison to 2,609 people claiming JSA in April, with a rate of 2.8% unemployment comfortably below the national average.

Younger jobseekers continue to experience most difficulties, with 6.6% of those aged 18 to 24 claiming, compared to 2.8% of 25 to 49-year-olds and 1.7% of those aged 50 and above.