THE number of people claiming unemployment benefit in Gwent has risen by almost 8,000 since 2005.

Yesterday the Office of National Statistics released figures detailing the claimant count for every month since the beginning of 2005 – when the UK saw its lowest rate of unemployment for 30 years.

The number of job seekers allowance claimants in Gwent rose from 8,895 in 2005 to 16,824 in 2010.

The area with the highest proportion of people aged between 16 and 64 on the benefit in 2010 was Blaenau Gwent.

In that area the number out of work rose from 1,685 (4 per cent) in 2005 to 3,009 (6.8 per cent) in 2010.

In Newport the figures went from 2,293 (3 per cent) in 2005 to 4,493 (5 per cent) in 2010.

Neighbouring Caerphilly saw the number of benefit claimants rise from 3,002 (3 per cent) in 2005 to 5,510 (4.98 per cent).

Torfaen’s rate grew from 1,155 (2 per cent) in 2005 to 2,548 people (4.5 per cent) in 2010.

Meanwhile Monmouthshire rate rose from 760 people (one per cent) in 2005 to 1,264( 2.4 per cent) in 2010.

However 2010 figures in all the Gwent counties were down on 2009 when the number of claimants spiked in all five counties.