Small firms are planning to take on staff in the next three months after welcoming the latest fall in unemployment in Kent and Medway.

The number of people claiming Job Seekers Allowance dropped by 1,215 to 33,425 across the county in May.

Roger House, chairman of the Federation of Small Businesses for Kent and Medway said: “It is pleasing to see UK unemployment figures edging in the right direction again and a further reduction of 1,215 in the number unemployed across all parts of Kent and Medway.

“The initial view from the FSB’s Small Business Index, due to be published next week, paints a similar picture with more small firms expecting to take on staff in the coming three months. However, the growth in hiring is still weaker than we would hope.”

Mr House added: “Small firms are more likely to employ someone who has been out of work for more than a year and the Chancellor must use the Spending Review later this month to extend help to this group of employers. One low-cost way of doing this is to consolidate the growing number of Government back-to-work programmes to give businesses more clarity about the support available to them.”