Unemployment hits eight-year high
12:16pm Wednesday 15th October 2008 in
The Government has been dealt a huge blow on the jobs front as unemployment increased by 164,000 to its worst level since 1999.
A total of 1.79 million people were out of work in the quarter to August, an unemployment rate of 5.7%, up by 0.5% over the quarter and the highest since the spring of 2000.
The quarterly increase in the number of people out of work, including those not eligible for benefit, was the highest since the summer of 1991, when it jumped by 186,000.
The number of people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance increased by 31,800 in September to 939,900, the eighth consecutive monthly rise and the highest figure for almost two years. The total has now risen by 104,900 over the past year.
Employment levels have also slumped - down by 122,000 in the latest quarter to 29.4 million, the biggest three-monthly fall since 1993.
Latest data from the Office for National Statistics also showed a 46,000 drop in the number of manufacturing jobs to a record low of 2.87 million.
Other figures also confirmed fears that the economic slowdown is now hitting jobs and employment prospects.
A total of 147,000 people were made redundant in the three months to August, an increase of 28,000 on the previous quarter.
Meanwhile the number of people classed as economically inactive, including people looking after a relative, on long-term sick leave or who have given up seeking work, rose by 16,000 in the latest period to 7.89 million, more than 20% of the working age population.
The number of unemployed men increased by 111,000 to over a million in the three months to August, while for women the figure rose by 52,000 to 732,000.
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Jobless figures have reached an eight-year high
A total of 1.79 million people were out of work in the quarter to August
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