The
number of people claiming unemployment benefits has dropped to a 27-year low
and there are record numbers of people in work, according to the latest
figures.
The
Office of National Statistics finds that the claimant count fell by 6,200 in
November this year to 934,200 – the lowest since 1975 – giving an unemployment
rate of 3.1 per cent.
The
number of people working rose by 105,000 between August and October to
27,759,000, the best figure since records began in 1984.
However,
figures from the International Labour Organisation, which includes people who
are not eligible for benefits, show an overall increase in unemployment of
19,000 between August and October, bringing the total to 1,532,000.
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This
figure, which is preferred by the Government as a true measure of the number of
people looking for work, has increased by 44,000 over the past year.
