The number of people on unemployment benefits in Kent increased by 500 last month.

In all, 22,150 were claiming either jobseeker's allowance or universal credit in the county in September, according to the Office for National Statistics.

The figures go against the national trend where unemployment fell by 47,000 to 1.36 million in the three months to August.

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Medway saw the biggest increase in the number of people out of work - rising from 3,510 in August to 3,645 last month.

Canterbury followed with an extra 125 people claiming jobless benefits since the summer.

The only areas which saw a fall in the claimant count were Tonbridge and Malling and Maidstone, while the figure for Tunbridge Wells remained static at 575.

Across the South East an extra 15,000 people were claiming unemployment benefits between June and August with the total standing at 181,000 which is 3.8% of the total population.

Nationally, average earnings have grown at their fastest rate in almost a decade.

Including bonuses, they rose 3.1% in the year to August.