The number of people looking for work has risen by 70 across Cumbria.

The latest figures, which are for the weeks before the time that coronavirus gripped the county, say there were 6,980 people on Jobseekers Allowance or seeking employment while on Universal Credit.

Cumbria's unemployment rate now stands at 2.4 per cent, compared with 3.1 per cent nationally.

The count rose in Allerdale, Barrow, Carlisle and South Lakeland, was unchanged in Copeland and fell in Eden.

Next month's job figures will take into account the impact of Covid-19, economists said.

Nationally, unemployment increased by 22,000 to 1.36 million in the three months to February, before Covid-19 took hold, the Office for National Statistics said.

David Freeman, ONS head of labour market statistics, said: "Our final data wholly from before the coronavirus restrictions were in place showed the labour market was very robust in the three months to February."

Overall, in Cumbria, there were 19,845 claimants of Universal Credit – those in and out of work and people not required to seek work.

Nationally, The employment rate in the three months to February was a record high of 76.6 per cent, 0.4 per cent up on a year ago, while the e unemployment rate for the three months to February was four per cent, largely unchanged from a year ago.

Mims Davies, minister for employment, said: "In the midst of the worst public health emergency in our lifetimes, today's employment figures have already been overtaken by current events - and we're doing all we can to help families make ends meet.

"But the statistics - including a four per cent unemployment rate - do serve as an important reminder of the strong foundations we have built."