Unemployment rises to 2.53 million

• Jobless number above 2.5 million • Claimant count drops 10,200 • Youth unemployment highest since 1992 Unemployment in Britain’s recession-scarred economy is continuing to climb, with more than 2.53 million Britons out of work in the three months to January, the largest number since 1994, official statistics reveal . The jobless rate hit a 10 month high of 8% over the three monthly period, as 27,000 people joined the ranks of the unemployed, according to the Office for National statistics. However, the number of people claiming out-of-work benefits fell by 10,200 between January and February, according to Wednesday’s figures. The improvement in this more timely measure will raise hopes that the labour market is beginning to thaw after December’s freezing weather brought the economy to a halt. Unemployment fell for much of 2010 as the economy clambered out of recession, but began to deteriorate later in the year as GDP growth slowed. There was a fresh rise in the number of young people suffering as a result of the weak job market, the ONS said, with 974,000 now out of work – the highest number since comparable records began in 1992. Unemployment and employment statistics Economics Unemployment Job losses Heather Stewart guardian.co.uk

Posted by on March 16, 2011. Filed under News, Politics, World News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.