UK jobless rate on an upswing |
|
|
Published
:
Thu, 15 Jun 2006 12:15
|
LONDON - The unemployment rate has edged up to 5.3 percent, according to the latest figures released by the Office for National Statistics. The number of jobless persons increased by 77,000 to 1.61 million from February to April, according to the ONS.
This is the highest rate of unemployment since September 2002. Manufacturing sector continued to struggle for a foothold on the jobs market with a record number of job losses. In total, the sector lost 116,000 jobs in the quarter. Manufacturing jobs are at their lowest since the records began in 1978. The people claiming benefits also increased by 5,800 in May. This is just about less than a million and is the 14th rise in the past 15 months.
The total number of employed people increased to 28.94 million, the ONS confirmed. The biggest increases in jobs were recorded in education, health and public administration sectors. The number of job vacancies fell 9,200 in the three months to May. This figure is down 39,700 at the same point last year.
Tory spokesman Philip Hammond said that these figures were disappointing, "Unemployment is now at a six-year high, job vacancies have fallen and the claimant count has risen for 14 of the last 15 months," he said.
The average earnings increased by 4.4 percent till April end, but when the bonuses were lessened then it was only 3.8 percent.
"The earnings data confirm that for the time being at least, pay is not a major inflationary threat," said Howard Archer, chief UK economist at Global Insight. "This should go down very well at the Bank of England, and significantly enhances the case for unchanged interest rates for some time to come."
|
|
|
|
Print this Story
Holiday homes taking house prices beyond locals’ reach: report 