According to figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), UK unemployment fell by 4,000 in the three months to June, meaning 2.51 million people were still out of work.
The figures show that the unemployment rate remains at 7.8%, with the ONS stating that the findings indicate unemployment was “broadly unchanged” from the first three months of the year.
Despite the overall unemployment rate remaining the same though, youth unemployment, among those aged 16-24, increased by 15,000 to 973,000, while the number of people out of work for more than two years also rose by 10,000 to 474,000 – the highest number in 16 years.
However, the number of people in work increased by 69,000 in the three months to June, which is up to 29.78 million and is the highest level since records began in 1971.
Commenting on today’s figures, TUC General Secretary, Frances O’Grady, said:
“The jobs news is mixed. A further rise in employment is encouraging but the number of young people out of work is creeping back towards a million.”
However, David Morel, Director of Tiger Recruitment, said the job market was “definitely moving in the right direction”, stating:
“Slowly but surely the employment rate is moving up.
“Encouragingly, almost all sectors of the economy are hiring more than they were 12 months ago. The recovery of the jobs market is well balanced and this bodes well for the future.”
He added:
“Noticeably, there has been nowhere near the usual lull in activity during July and August.”
