The number of unemployed people in the UK has risen by 53,000 in the three months to March, according to the latest labour market survey from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). This is the highest figure since the three months leading up to December 1994, and there are now 2.51 million jobless people in the UK.

Furthermore, the number of people unemployed for over 12 months was 757,000 in the three months to March 2010, a rise of 94,000 from the three months to December 2009. The number of young unemployed also rose by 9,000 on the last quarter, with 734,000 18 to 24 year olds out of a job.

The number of people in employment fell by 76,000 on the quarter to reach 28.83 million, and the employment rate fell by 0.3 on the quarter to 72%.

Despite these findings, the number of people claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) declined in the last month. The claimant count in April 2010 was 1.52 million, down 27,100 on the previous month, but up 11,300 on a year earlier.

In response to these latest figures, Dr John Philpott, Chief Economic Adviser, Chartered Institute for Personnel and Development (CIPD), comments: “The UK jobs market remains fragile with tentative signs of increased hiring by private sector employers offset by mounting pessimism in the public sector, and employers in general still very uncertain about the strength of the economic recovery.”

Philpott further urges the government to take immediate action on the current situation of the jobs market, and adds: “whoever forms the next government should publish an immediate outline policy statement with particular reference to the timing of deficit reduction measures, plans for any change to employers’ National Insurance contributions, and the scope of welfare to work policy.”
 

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