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Jobless total soars to 13-year high at 2.2 million
Unemployment soared by almost a quarter of a million in the first three months of the year, leaving the jobless total at more than 2.2 million, shock figures revealed yesterday.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) took the unusual step of bringing forward the eagerly awaited news by a day after announcing that some data had been accidentally released early.
Both sides of industry urged the Government to do more to tackle the jobs crisis after the figures showed Britain's unemployment total was now 2,215,000, the highest since 1996.
Insurance giant Legal & General added to the gloom by unveiling plans to axe up to 560 jobs, while unions are braced for huge cuts at telecoms giant BT when its financial figures are published tomorrow.
The number of people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance increased by 57,100 last month to 1,513,000, while the number of people in work fell by 157,000 between January and March.
Job vacancies fell by 51,000 to 455,000, and Britain's unemployment rate is now 7.1 per cent, up by 0.8 per cent on the previous quarter.
The number of unemployed men was 1.34 million in the three months to March, up 155,000 from the three months to December, while the figure for women increased by 89,000 to 880,000.
Unemployment among 18- to 24-year-olds was 676,000 in the three months to March, up by 60,000 from the three months to December.
Employment Minister Tony McNulty said: "We understand that people are finding times tough, but we will not give up on them.
"That's why in last month's Budget we set aside a further 3bn to invest in people's futures and create more opportunities to help them get back to work."
TUC general secretary Brendan Barber said: "This is another set of dreadful figures.
"Some people in the City are already talking of a recovery. But the only recovery in the real world will be when unemployment starts to fall.
"Unemployment is still the country's number one emergency and the Government must use all possible means to address it."
The director general of the British Chambers of Commerce, David Frost, said: "Unemployment continues to rise in the face of a worsening recession. We know businesses do not want to lose key employees but they are struggling with cash flow."
n Supermarket giant Tesco received more than 3,000 applications for 400 jobs at a new store, it was revealed yesterday.
Workers laid off following the collapse of Woolworth were among those seeking jobs at the store in Orpington, south London, which will open next week.
The firm received 2,000 applications for 200 jobs at a store recently opened in Liverpool, a pattern Tesco said was being repeated across the country.
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Weather for Yorkshire
Saturday 26 May 2012
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