Sharpest rise in unemployment for two years

The total number of the working-age population out of a job has risen to 7.9%, rising 0.3% in Q2. This is the largest quarterly rise since August 2009. Public sector employment fell by 110,000 but was partly offset by a rise in private sector employment, which rose by 41,000. The number of people in employment in the economy also fell, by 69,000 to 29.17 million. The total claiming Jobseeker's Allowance rose, by 20,300 in August to 1.58 million. Today's figures come as a report from the Institue for Public Policy Research (IPPR) warned the UK faces a long and difficult path back...