Read this for news on the world economy, or just enjoy the interesting words the Brits use to describe their unemployment: Jobseekers Allowance (unemployment benefits), shadow work (?)…
UK unemployment total falls to 2.58m
The unemployment rate fell to 8.1% in the period, down from 8.3% in the previous quarter.
The ONS figures showed that the number of people in employment rose by 181,000 to 29.35 million.
However, the number of people claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance rose by 6,100 to 1.6 million in June.
The number of long-term unemployed also increased, with those out of work for more than two years rising by 18,000 to a total of 441,000, the highest since 1997.
The shadow work and pensions secretary Liam Byrne said: “You’ve seen another big rise in the number of long-term unemployed… nearly half the people on the dole have been out of work for more than six months.”
Average total earnings were 1.5% higher in the year to May, the ONS said. When bonuses are excluded, regular pay rose 1.8% from a year earlier.
On average, UK workers earned £442 per week excluding bonuses.
UK unemployment rates
- North East England 10.9%
- Yorkshire and the Humber 9.7%
- North West England 9.5%
- Wales 9.0%
- London 8.9%
- West Midlands 8.6%
- East Midlands 8.3%
- Scotland 8.0%
- Northern Ireland 6.9%
- East of England 6.6%
- South East 6.3%
- South West 5.9%
Source: BBC – UK unemployment total falls to 2.58m
