Worst is yet to come for jobs market, warns IES

Cutbacks in government spending are likely to result in more jobs being lost over the next few months, according to a representative from the Institute for Employment Studies (IES).

Responding to new employment figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), IES research director Jim Hillage warned that it could be a number of months before the full impact of reductions in public sector expenditure becomes clear.

"As these trends gather pace in the coming months, overall unemployment is likely to rise unless the recovery in the private sector will be sufficient to compensate for significant public sector job losses," he explained.

Mr Hilliard observed that the amount of job vacancies among public sector bodies is beginning to "contract sharply" and that the early indicators of a downturn are becoming apparent.

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However, the latest round of ONS data showed a drop in unemployment, with the number of British adults out of work currently standing at 2.46 million.

Posted by Ross George