Jobless numbers across Kent and Medway are continuing to creep up, according to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

The latest confirmed figures for January show a rise of 240 countywide – taking the total to some 39,165. That’s the equivalent of 3.5% of the total workforce.

Nationally, the rate of unemployment for the last three months up to January rose to 3.9%.

However, preliminary figures for February – which are subject to change – suggest a sharper increase in the jobless numbers for the county.

It comes as the UK entered into what experts believe will be a short-lived, shallow recession.

Across the county in January, the jobless figures rose in all areas with the exception of the west Kent districts of Tunbridge Wells, Tonbridge & Malling and Sevenoaks. Dover was the only other area to see a slight decrease in its numbers.

Sevenoaks remains the area with the smallest rate of unemployment at 2%, followed by Tonbridge & Malling (2.2%) and Tunbridge Wells (2.3%).

The highest remains in Thanet with 5.6% followed by Gravesham at 4.3% and Folkestone & Hythe at 4.1%.

Nationally, the ONS said average regular pay growth, excluding bonuses, fell to 6.1% in the quarter to January, down from 6.2% in the three months to December and marking the slowest growth for more than a year.

Liz McKeown, ONS director of economic statistics, said: “Recent trends in the jobs market are continuing, with earnings, in cash terms, growing more slowly than recently but, thanks to lower inflation, real-terms pay continues to increase.

“The number of job vacancies has also been falling for coming up to two years, though the total remains more than 100,000 above its pre-pandemic level.”

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt said: “Even with inflation falling, real wages have risen for the seventh month in a row.

“Take-home pay is set for another boost thanks to our cuts to national insurance which, in total, are putting over £900 a year back into the average earner’s pocket.”