Unemployment to rise

Unemployment is set to increase amid a slower growth in jobs, a new report predicts.

The jobless rate will rise from 4.8% this year to 5.4% in 2018 and 5.8% in 2019, said the EY Item Club forecasting group.

Employment will fall for the first time since 2009, albeit only by 0.1% next year, as the supply of workers slows, said the report.

Official figures will be published by the Office for National Statistics on Wednesday.