The holiday period has taken its toll on the economy with unemployment in Kent and Medway rising to 34,730, an increase of 534.

The highest rise in those claiming Jobseekers Allowance in August was in Thanet, which saw 131 more people join the dole queue to take its total to 4,436, Kent's second highest overall claimant count.

The highest overall figure is still in Medway's unitary authority at 6,978, a rise of 91, according to figures from the Office for National Statistics.

The second hardest hit last month was Dover, where 103 more people found themselves looking for work, a total of 2,359.

Canterbury was the next worst effected over the holiday period, with 95 new members of the dole queue to take its total to 2,368.

Dartford cancelled out last month's rise of 29 with a fall of 50 in August to 1,924. The only other areas to see falls in those out of work were Sevenoaks, down 17 to 1,231 and Maidstone, down 10 to 2,410.

In Shepway the claimant count rose by 73 to 2,577, while Swale's increased by 60 to 3,194.

Gravesham upped its total by 31 to 2,676 and small increases were felt in Tonbridge and Malling, up 15 to 1,498, Ashford, up 10 to 1,906 and Tunbridge Wells, up two to 1,173.

Nationally, the total claiming Jobseeker's Allowance rose by 20,300 in August to 1.58 million.