Unemployment benefit falls to 27-year low

The
number of people claiming unemployment benefit in the UK has fallen to a
27-year low.

Figures
from the Office for National Statistics show the number of benefit claimants
fell from 949,400 in July to 943,000 in August – the lowest level since 1975.

Many
analysts had predicted a slight increase in the number of benefit claimants.

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However,
the International Labour Organisation measure of unemployment – which includes
people out of work but not claiming benefit – rose by 7,000 during the three
months to July to 1.65 million, or 5.2 per cent of the workforce.

By Quentin Reade