Million more people are underemployed than before recession and want more work

THE number of people who want to work longer hours remains almost a million higher than before the financial crisis, a study reveals.

The TUC said underemployment had increased from 2.3 million in early 2008 to 3.4 million in 2014 following a rapid rise aft er the recession.

The total has fallen slowly in the last year to reach just under 3.3 million, still more than 900,000 higher than it was before the recession, said the report.

The findings come ahead of new unemployment figures tomorrow, which the TUC said are expected to show that, while the headline rate of employment was continuing to improve, underemployment was “stuck in the slow lane”.

TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady said: “The headline employment rate may have returned to its pre-recession level, but underemployment has barely recovered, so we are still a long way from a full jobs recovery.

“The government must address labour market failures that have left us with too many poor quality jobs, and not enough decent jobs with full-time hours.

“The current economic plan is not delivering enough high quality full-time jobs for everyone who wants one. The Chancellor’s plans for extreme cuts in the Budget... will not deliver the productivity gains we need for better jobs with more hours.”