More than 1,000 people across Kent left the dole queue in March after two months of steep rises since the turn of the year.

There were 27,300 unemployed claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance last month, a fall of 1,018.

The unemployment rate was lowest in the South East in the three months to February at 4.9%, below the national average, which dipped to 6.9%.

Across the country the number of people out of work has fallen by 77,000 to a five-year low of 2.24m, according to figures from the Office for National Statistics.

The claimant count rate – the number of people on Jobseeker’s Allowance – was also lowest in the South East at 1.9%.