Slight fall in unemployment

The number of unemployed people fell, but youth unemployment edged nearer a million.

Under the Labour Force Survey (LFS) count, unemployment fell by 4,000 to 2.51 million in the three-month period ending June, compared with the previous period. The fall was not enough to impact on the unemployment rate which stays at 7.8%.

The overall fall was due to a 19,000 fall in the number of jobless women. Their total was down to 1.07 million in the three months to June and their unemployment rate was down to 7.2% from 7.3%.

The number of unemployed men rose by 15,000 to 1.45 million, but their unemployment rate was unchanged at 8.3%.

A rise in youth unemployment led the Unite general union to call for urgent government action to prevent the nation’s young talents being lost for a generation. General secretary Len McCluskey said: “It is too soon to start proclaiming ‘recovery’ given that youth unemployment, for those aged 16-24, increased by 15,000 to 974,000 and the working world is now pockmarked by low-waged, insecure employment.”

In July, unemployment on the claimant count — was down by 29,200 to 1.44 million. This measure only includes those people claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance.

www.ons.gov.uk/ons/dcp171778_319808.pdf