Long-term unemployment rises

Unemployment fell on both official counts, the latest figures show. However, long-term unemployment for both men and women has risen.

Under the Labour Force Survey count, unemployment edged down by 9,000 to 2.45 million in the July-September quarter.

The unemployment rate was down to 7.7% from 7.8% in the second quarter of the year.

As has happened in recent months, it is male unemployment that has fallen while the number of jobless women has risen.

Male unemployment was down by 40,000 to 1.43 million and their unemployment rate was down to 8.4% from 8.7%.

Meanwhile, the number of unemployed women rose by 31,000 to 1.02 million and their unemployment rate rose to 7.0% from 6.8%.

The number of long-term unemployed people, those out of work for over a year, posted a quarterly rise of 20,000 in the third quarter of the year to stand at 817,000. The latest figure is 85% or 376,000 higher than the same quarter of 2008, when the number of long-term unemployed stood at 441,000.

The claimant count, which only takes into account those claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance, was down by 3,700 to stand at 1.47 million in October. Nevertheless, the fall was not enough to impact on the unemployment rate which stayed at 4.5%. Male claimant numbers were down, but again the number of women on benefits rose.