There are now a record number of people in work and encouraging signs that pay cheques are beginning to rise faster than inflation, meaning more people with the security of a good job and a regular pay packet.

As these strong jobs numbers show, our long-term economic plan is delivering for Britain – creating a stronger, healthier economy, and moving us closer towards our target of full employment. 

We’ve been doing this by backing business with lower jobs taxes and better infrastructure, while reforming welfare to make sure work always pays. And as these figures confirm, this approach is working, with another big fall in unemployment, 1.7 million more people with the security of work since the election, and encouraging signs that pay cheques are beginning to rise faster than inflation.

There is more to do, and we know that families are still feeling the effects of Labour’s Great Recession. But the only way to get living standards up sustainably is to keep working through the plan that is getting people off welfare and into work – so that more people can have the security and self-respect of a decent job and are better able to provide for themselves and their families.