KENT'S jobless tally rose by 156 in October, almost all of it due to a sharp increase in Medway.

Medway’s dole queue lengthened by 178 to just under 4,000, or 2.5 per cent of the workforce. Across the rest of Kent, the number of people claiming benefit fell by 22 to 15,475 (1.9 per cent).

The total number of people out of work in the county stood at 19,447.

There was a mixed picture across the county, with seven districts posting an increase, and five recording a dip.

Nationally, the claimant count was 890,100, up 12,100 from the previous month. The unemployment level was 1.43 million in the three months to September, down 1,000 from the previous quarter but up 41,000 from a year earlier.

The number of people out of work for more than 12 months was 293,000, down 13,900, and 431,000 18-24 year olds - down 5,000 - were seeking work.

Average earnings rose by four per cent in the three months to September, unchanged from the previous quarter.

Job vacancies stood at 605,100 in the quarter to October, down 30,700. Manufacturing jobs have fallen by 97,000 to 3.17 million in the past year.

Jobless figures on October 13:

Kent and Medway combined: 19,447 (up 156)
Medway: 3,972 (up 178)
Rest of Kent: 15,475 (down 22)
Ashford: 924 (down three)
Canterbury: 1,387 (down 23)
Dartford: 1,091 (up 35)
Dover: 1,515 (down 12)
Gravesham: 1,462 (down 28)
Maidstone: 1,228 (up 47)
Sevenoaks: 649 (down 44)
Shepway: 1,518 (down 40)
Swale: 1,759 (up 53)
Thanet: 2,573 (down 41)
Tonbridge and Malling: 735 (up 26)
Tunbridge Wells: 634 (up eight).