Unemployment rate remains steady but number of claimants rises

The number of people out of work fell by 1,000 between July and September to 1.43 million, official figures showed.

The UK’s unemployment rate was 4.7% during the period, little changed from the previous quarter, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reported.

But the number of people claiming unemployment benefit rose by 12,100 in October to 890,100, the ONS said.

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The increase, the ninth consecutive rise in claimant count unemployment, was bigger than analysts had expected.

Growth in average earnings also slipped, the ONS said, increasing by 4.1% in the year to September – down from 4.2% in the previous month.