The October figures released yesterday showed the increase in the number of people claiming jobseekers allowance was below the UK increase of 2.1% in five of the six boroughs. As with last month, St Helens was the exception, with a 4.3% rise.

Nationally, the number of people claiming jobseekers allowance rose by 36,500 last month to 980,900, the highest figure since the spring of 2001 and the worst monthly increase since 1992.

The longer-term trend also shows the city region’s economy is so far proving to be more resilient than in the rest of the country.

Although the UK claimant count has now grown by 180,000 since January – an increase of 23% – Liverpool city region has seen a rise of 5,400, a 16% increase.

The Governor of the Bank of England, Mervyn King, said the economy was “very likely” to already be in recession and could contract by 2% year-on-year in early 2009 unless rates fall.

“We are moving into very difficult times, but that isn’t to say we won’t get through it,” Mr King added.

The rise in the claimant count was matched by a significant increase in the Labour Force Survey, which is based on the number of people without jobs who are looking for work, irrespective of whether they are signing on.

This figure, which is usually quoted as the unemployment figure, reached an 11-year high at 1.82m for the three months to September after increasing by 140,000.

The figures do not include recent job loss announcements, including more than 5,000 cuts by firms including Virgin Media, Yell, Taylor Wimpey and GlaxoSmithKline.

John Menzies said it had cut hundreds of jobs in its airport ground handling and cargo business.

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