UK jobless figure hits 10-year low

THE number of people out of work in Britain has plunged to its lowest for more than a decade, official figures showed yesterday.

The unemployment total in the three months to November stood at 1.6 million – 52,000 fewer than in the previous quarter, 81,000 fewer than a year earlier and the lowest since early 2006, said the Office for National Statistics.

At a steady 11-year-low of 4.8 per cent of the workforce, the UK’s jobless rate is now one of Europe’s lowest.

The number of employed people fell for the second month in a row, by 9,000 to 31.8 million, but the total is still 294,000 higher than the same period in 2015 and some 2.7 million more than in 2010.

The employment rate of 74.5 per cent includes a new record high for women in work – with nearly 70 per cent of the female workforce now in jobs.

The number of people claiming unemployment benefits fell by just over 10,000 last month to 797,800, the lowest since last September.

The ONS also found average earnings increased by 2.8 per cent in the year to November, up by 0.2 per cent on the previous month’s annual figure.

Employment Minister Damian Hinds said: “Employment continues to run at a near-record high, unemployment remains at an 11-year low.

“Both figures are stronger than this time last year, highlighting the strength and resilience of our labour market as we step up to the challenges of 2017.”