UK unemployment has fallen and a record number of people are in work, figures reveal.

But the jobs market could be “cooling off” according to the Office for National Statistics as the jobless total fell by just 2,000 in the three months to March – a fall of 139,000 over the past year.

The number of jobless people claiming benefits fell by 2,400 last month to 737,800 – although revised data showed the figure rose by 14,700 between February and March, the highest total since autumn 2011.

Among parliamentary constituencies, the claimant count in Huddersfield rose by 15 to 1,775 in April while the Colne Valley total was down by five at 1,050. The combined figure of 2,825 is 17% down on a year ago and 11% lower than in 2010. It includes 645 claimants aged 18 to 24 – down by 14% on the year and 61% lower than for 2010.

Jobs job centre jobseekers stock

The Kirklees claimant count in April stood at 5,740, which is 15% lower than a year ago and 51% down on the decade. There were 1,375 claimants aged 18 to 24, which is 17% down on April last year and 60% lower than in 2010.

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Jo Ledgard, Kirklees operations manager with Jobcentre Plus, said there were job opportunities in the rapidly-growing care sector – with nine employers and 100 potential candidates for jobs attending a special event at Huddersfield Jobcentre this month. She said there were also opportunities in the security and CCTV sector, with the Jobcentre delivering training courses and placing several long-term unemployed people into work.