12/09/2012

Unemployment Figures Fall Again

UK unemployment fell by 7,000 to 2.59 million in the three months to July, standing at 8.1%, a 0.1% drop on the previous quarter.

Official figures also showed that the number out of work for more than a year was 904,000, the highest since 1996.

But the Office for National Statistics (ONS) also said the number of people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance fell by 15,000 in August to 1.57 million.

The largest drop in the number of claimants since June 2010.

The number of people in work increased by 236,000 and now stands at 29.6 million, the largest quarterly rise for two years.

The ONS said the Olympic Games was likely to have been a factor behind the jump in employment, with London accounting for 91,000 of the increase.

The number of people in part-time work rose by 134,000 to 8.12 million, the highest level since 1992, when these numbers began to be collected.

This figure includes 1.42 million people - a record number - who would like to work full-time but are unable to find such employment.

The number of unemployed women fell by 16,000 to 1.1 million, with the number of men out of work rising 9,000 to 1.49 million.

(H)


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