Unemployment rate falls

Male unemployment numbers are down but female numbers are up.

The number of jobless men is down by 31,000 to 1.45 million for the three months ending February 2011. Their unemployed rate is also down to 8.5% from 8.7%. However, the number of unemployed women rose by 14,000 to 1.03 million and their unemployed rate is up to 7.1% from 7.0%.

Overall, this means total unemployment shows a 17,000 fall to 2.48 million and the unemployment rate is down to 7.8% from 7.9%, according to the Office for National Statistics.

TUC general secretary Brendan Barber said that the fall in unemployment is good news for the millions looking for work, “although the fall in the number of vacancies from last month is a worrying sign”.

TUC fears that youth unemployment would pass a grim milestone of another record high have not been met. Nevertheless, the number of unemployed 16- 24-year-olds is up by 12,000 to 963,000 and moves ever closer to the one million mark.

The claimant count, which only includes people claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance, rose in March, but numbers are only up by 700 to 1.45 million.

The jobless rate of claimants remains unchanged at 4.5%.