Numbers of jobless people leaving dole queues slowed last month despite the onset of seasonal work over the festive period.

There were 555 fewer claimants of Jobseeker’s Allowance in Kent in November, a total of 19,117, according to the Office for National Statistics.

However, it marks nine consecutive months of falls since February.

Medway has its lowest claimant count since before the recession, with dole queues shrinking to less than 4,000 for the first time since September 2008.

Its total fell by 163 to 3,937, which also gave it the largest reduction in Kent.

Meanwhile, Thanet has also reached a milestone, with the number of claimants dipping below 3,000 for the first time since December 2008. Its total in November stood at 2,945, down 82 on the previous month.

Other big fallers were Swale and Gravesham, both down 73 to 1,761 and 1,314 respectively.

Proportionally the largest fall in Kent was in Tonbridge and Malling, which saw dole queues shrivel by 68 to 744, a drop of about 8%.

The county’s other fallers were Dartford, down 49 to 876, Canterbury, down 39 to 1,117, Sevenoaks, down 26 to 614 and Maidstone, down 20 to 1,209.

Four areas saw modest rises, with Ashford up most by 16 to 1,034, Shepway up 11 to 1,537, Tunbridge Wells up seven to 525 and Dover up four to 1,504.

Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce chief executive Jo James said: “This slowdown should not be viewed negatively, despite the expectation for numbers to be higher due to the usual increase for seasonal workers.

“We have seen a large improvement in the number of claimants since February, therefore we cannot take this drop as a longer term trend, and it was inevitable that it would slow down at some point.

“Businesses who would normally take on season workers may well have taken on permanent staff during the year to increase capacity, which would equate to the high numbers we have seen to date.

“This being the case, the transition from seasonal workers to permanent positions is good a thing, it gives more permanency in the labour market, which is better for the wider economy.”

In the South East, unemployment rose marginally by 3,000 to 210,000 in the three months to October, giving it an unemployment rate of 4.6%, the lowest in Britain.

“As we come to the end of the year, it’s good news that unemployment continues to fall, as jobs are being created..." CBI's Neil Carberry

Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith said: “The employment rate in the South East is now the highest of all regions across the country at 76.5% – with 61,000 more people in work compared to this time last year.

“These figures show that our long term economic plan to create a better more prosperous future for Britain is working – with thousands of people feeling more secure over the Christmas period with a regular wage.”

Nationally, unemployment fell by 63,000 to 1.96m putting the unemployment rate at 6%, down from 7.4% a year earlier.

CBI director for employment and skills Neil Carberry said: “As we come to the end of the year, it’s good news that unemployment continues to fall, as jobs are being created. It’s good to see even more people working full-time.

“We are starting to see the first signs of real pay growth picking up, which will have given households an encouraging boost in the run up to Christmas.”