UK unemployment rises to 2.2 million

12th May 2009

The number of people out of work in the UK rose just under 250,000 to reach 2.2m in the first quarter of 2009, according to figures released by the Office for National Statistics.

The country's jobless rate also increased, jumping from 6.75 to 7.1% and the number of people claiming unemployment benefits in April rose 57,000 to 1.5m.

Average earnings, including bonuses, were 0.4% lower in the first three months of 2009 than they had been in the same period of 2008 as business owners look to cut costs.

"The standout numbers are the big increase in the unemployment rate at 7.1%. We had been looking for 6.9% so that is a really sharp acceleration," said Brian Hilliard, chief UK economist at Societe Generale.

Source: Newbusiness.co.uk www.newbusiness.co.uk/news/uk-unemployment-rises-22m