More people are out of work but dole queues in Kent shrank by more than 800 people last month, according to the Office for National Statistics.

The number of potential workers without a job in the South East grew by 6,000 to 201,000 in the three months to the end of May, the first time the figure has risen in two years.

There were 16,598 people on Jobseeker’s Allowance in Kent in June, down 867, but the number is likely to have been affected by its gradual replacement by the government’s universal credit scheme.

Universal credit combines several different benefits and therefore does not only include people who are out of work.

However, a dramatic fall in people on the dole was seen in Thanet, a district which has not yet introduced the catch-all welfare programme.

Its claimant count fell by 197 to 2,331, the largest fall since August last year, when it dropped by 222.

A huge decline of 95 to 1,212 was seen in Gravesham, where universal credit is being introduced. Similarly Swale was down 94 to 1,493 and Ashford down 81 to 847.

However the huge falls also happened in Jobcentres still running on the old system, with Medway down 91 to 3,729 and Shepway down 87 to 1,188.

Dover had a significant drop in dole claimants, down 61 to 1,192, with Maidstone (which is introducing universal credit) down 59 to 1,057 and Canterbury down 51 to 987, the first time its figure has ever dropped below 1,000 since the statistics began being collected in 1983.

There were 42 less people on Jobseeker’s Allowance in Tonbridge and Malling, a total of 717, while Sevenoaks was down 20 to 531.

The figure rose by nine in Dartford to 834 and grew by two in Tunbridge Wells to 480.

“Today’s slight increase in the unemployment rate may have surprised economists and spooked policymakers, but there is more good news than bad in these latest figures..." - James Sproule, IoD

The South East unemployment rate of 4.4% was the lowest in the UK and the region also had the lowest claimant count rate at 1.3%.

But it had the largest decrease in workforce jobs for March at 32,000.

James Sproule, chief economist at the Institute of Directors, who spoke to bosses at an event in Hempstead House Hotel in Sittingbourne last night, said: “Today’s slight increase in the unemployment rate may have surprised economists and spooked policymakers, but there is more good news than bad in these latest figures.

“Over the last few years, businesses have powered the recovery and created jobs at a record pace.

“Unemployment is now much lower than many expected, and people are moving from self-employment to full-time jobs at a healthy rate.”

Nationally, unemployment grew by 15,000 to 1.85 million, the first quarterly increase since January to March 2013. The unemployment rate rose marginally to 5.6%.

However, the figure is still down 273,000 people compared with the same period a year ago.