Unemployment rises once more

Unemployment has risen again on the main count, government figures show.

Under the Labour Force Survey (LFS) count, unemployment rose by 49,000 to 2.5 million in the September-November three- month period on the previous three months. The unemployment rate was up to 7.9% from 7.7% in the previous three months.

Male unemployment was up by 43,000 to 1.48 million and their unemployment rate was up to 8.7% from 8.4%. Unemployed women’s numbers rose by 6,000 to 1.02 million, but their unemployment rate was steady at 7.0%.

The claimant count, which only takes into account those claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance, was down by 4,100 to stand at 1.46 million in December. However, the unemployment rate remained at 4.5%.

Male claimant numbers were down, but again the number of women on benefits rose.

TUC general secretary Brendan Barber said the “grim jobless figures show that rising unemployment is more than an autumn blip, and that it could get much worse in 2011”.

The Con-Dem coalition’s cuts are already taking effect in the public sector. The Office for National Statistics said that in the third quarter of last year the sector lost 33,000 jobs, and public administration, including the civil service, shrank by 14,000.