Unemployment Jumps To 2.51M

Official Government statistics have revealed the unemployment rate made its sharpest rise so far this year in June, reaching 2.51 million.

According to the report on Wednesday morning by the Office of National Statistics (ONS), the unemployment rate for the three months to July 2011 was 7.9% of the working population, representing a rise an increase of 80,000.

"This is the largest quarterly increase in unemployment since the three months to August 2009," the ONS said.

Wednesday's report found that the number of unemployed men increased by 39,000 on the quarter to reach 1.45 million while the number of unemployed women increased by 41,000 to reach 1.06 million, the highest figure since the three months to April 1988.

The quarterly rise in unemployment occurred mainly among people aged from 18 to 24.

Meanwhile, the number of employees and self-employed people working part-time because they could not find a full-time job increased by 70,000 on the quarter to reach 1.28 million, the highest figure since comparable records began in 1992.

There were 1.58 million people claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) in August 2011, up 20,300 on July.

Employment minister Chris Grayling, said: "Today's figures underline the scale of the challenge that we face particularly given slower growth across Europe and North America.

"Unemployment remains lower than it was six months ago but clearly we must continue to focus our efforts on supporting business growth and ensure that people who do lose their jobs have the best possible support to get back into employment."

the data would "reinvigorate" the government's "determination" to take steps to get the economy growing and create private sector jobs.

(DW/CD)