THE number of people claiming unemployment related support has increased by 103% since March 2020, a report by the Vale of Glamorgan Council has revealed.

The report says that the rate of unemployment in the Vale of Glamorgan "mirrors" the rise in unemployment across Wales and the UK.

The latest forecasts from the Bank of England suggest that the unemployment rate will continue to rise in 2021.

From March 2020 to November 2020 there has been an increase of 4,844 people receiving Universal Credit in the Vale, the report revealed.

The report said that the largest proportion of people receiving Universal Credit can be seen in areas of the Vale of Glamorgan which have been identified as 'Most Deprived' in the Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation 2019.

In November 2020 the redundancy rate in the UK reached a record high.

The report also said that vacancies data for October to December 2020, at the UK level show job vacancies have reduced when compared to the same period in 2019.

"As such it may be said that while unemployment is rising, there are fewer job vacancies for those who have become unemployed and are seeking employment to apply for," the report read.