Unemployment Rises To 17 Year High

Official figures released by the Office of National Statistics (ONS) has revealed unemployment between June 2011 and August 2011 reached 2.57m, its highest level for 17 years, whilst the unemployment rate also increased to 8.1%. The 16-24 year old demographic fared worst with a record 991,000 out of work and an unemployment rate of 21.3%. The number of people out of work claiming benefitsalso roseby 17,500, to 1.6m, in September.

Official figures released by the Office of National Statistics (ONS) has revealed unemployment between June 2011 and August 2011 reached 2.57m, its highest level for 17 years, whilst the unemployment rate also increased to 8.1%. The 16-24 year old demographic fared worst with a record 991,000 out of work and an unemployment rate of 21.3%. The number of people out of work claiming benefitsalso roseby 17,500, to 1.6m, in September.

Chris Grayling, Employment Secretary, stated that the rise in unemployment was due to "the impact of the international financial crisis".

However, Brendan Barber, TUC general secretary, disagreed "The government's austerity measures have turned unemployment into a full-blown crisis, with job losses not seen since the darkest days of the recession."

The Prime Minister, David Cameron, also commented on this latest release from the ONS “These are very disappointing figures that have been announced today and every job that is lost is a tragedy for that person and for their family and that is why this government is going to do everything it possibly can to help get people into work.”

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