Number in work hits a record high of 32 million

EMPLOYMENT has hit a record high in a boost for the battered Government, official figures show.

Also, the number of people not in work is the lowest for more than a decade, according to the Office for National Statistics.

But wages have fallen behind rising inflation, fuelling demands for an easing of austerity and an end to the long-standing cap on pay rises for public sector staff.

Nearly 32 million people are in work, 372,000 more than a year ago and the most since records began in 1971, said the ONS.

Unemployment fell by 50,000 to 1.53 million in the three months to April. At 4.6 per cent this is the lowest proportion of the working age population since 1975.

The “economically inactive” – including the long-term sick, students, unpaid carers and those who have given up looking for work – fell by 30,000 to 8.8 million – a joint record low of 21.5 per cent of working age people.

Insecure

The number claiming jobless benefits rose to nearly 803,000.

Wages grew by 2.1 per cent in the year to April, down by 0.2 per cent on the previous month.

The fall was even more marked over a three-month period, confirming the lag behind inflation which has risen to 2.9 per cent.

Last night, the new Work and Pensions Secretary David Gauke said: “This is yet another strong set of record-breaking figures.”

The Confederation of British Industry’s Neil Carberry said: “Employment growth remains an encouraging feature.”

Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary Debbie Abrahams said: “We are deeply concerned that millions remain in insecure work.”

Union leaders said it was time to lift the one per cent cap on wage rises for public sector workers.

Three unions submitted a five per cent pay claim for 1.6 million workers in schools and councils.

Employers said meeting the claim would cost £559million in 2018-’19 and lead to job losses.