By Judith Ugwumadu | 12 November 2014
The number unemployed people in the UK fell by 115,000 to 1.96 million over the three months to September taking the unemloyment rate to 6%, according to the Office of National Statistics.
Overall there were 529,000 fewer people out of work compared with the same time last year, the ONS said.
Its figures showed that employment grew by 112,000 to reach 30.79 million.
The number of people claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance was 931,700 in October, down 20,400 from September and for 24 successive months, official figures show.
Youth unemployment has been consistently higher than the older age groups since comparable records began in 1992, the ONS said.
Official figures show that there were 737,000 unemployed young people including 248,000 full-time students looking for part-time work. It noted that 2.75 million where economically inactive people, of that 2.11 million were full-time students.
Responding to the figures, employment minister Esther McVey said: ‘Record numbers of people in work means more people with the security of a regular wage who are better able to support themselves and their families.
‘With the vast majority of the rise in employment over the last year being full-time, it’s clear that thanks to the government’s long-term economic plan, we are helping businesses to create the jobs that people need.’
But Neil Carberry, director for employment and skills at CBI, said many people were still finding times tough.
He said: ‘Much more remains to be done to ensure growth works for everyone.’
And Geraint Johnes, the director at Lancaster University’s Work Foundation, said the labour market figures indicate continued strengthening of the economy.
‘Numbers of self-employed have fallen over the quarter by some 87,000, with 78% of these having been part-time,’ he said.
‘Meanwhile the number of employees has increased by 196,000, and 72% of this growth is in full-time employment. All these trends suggest that the labour market is gradually returning to normal, with fewer people in relatively insecure posts.’
But Johnes noted that total pay including bonuses continued to rise only slowly, but were still falling in real terms.
He said wage growth amounted to just 1% over the last year, well below the rate of price inflation.
‘Overall the picture remains one in which there is labour market slack, and we cannot on the back of that expect any tightening of monetary policies in the immediate future.’
