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UK unemployment increases to 17-year peak
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March 17, 2011
Original URL: http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/UK_unemployment_increases_to_17-year_peak



In the United Kingdom, the unemployment rate has increased by
twenty-seven thousand and has achieved a total of 2.53 million. This
figure, which was measured between October 2010 and January 2011, is the
highest rate of unemployment the country has experienced since 1994. , 
of ''}}

The  stated that the percentage of those jobless was eight per cent, the
peak for that rate since 1996. In the three months approaching February
2011, nearly five hundred thousand occupations were vacant, an increase
of twenty-four thousand in comparison to the preceding three months.

According to the ONS, the quantity of 16-24 year-old individuals without
an occupation has increased by 0.8% to a record peak of 20.6%, including
students who are seeking employment. British  David Cameron described
this number as "disappointing, once again".

The executive office also commented that, in February 2011, 10,200 fewer
people were requesting , causing the total amount to decrease to 1.45
million people. 25,000 more people aged 50-64 now have an occupation,
causing the amount of those employed in that age demographic to rise to
a record 7.3 million. Cameron has described this situation as a "very
mixed picture".

According to , the average worker's wage was 453 (729, 521), including
bonuses, in January 2011. In comparison to last year, 2.3% of wages were
larger in January of this year, which is less than half of the UK's ; it
currently stands at 5.1%.

Overall, the total amount of employed individuals has increased by
thirty-two thousand and now stands at 29.16 million, the peak value
since autumn 2010. 132,000  occupations were eliminated, whereas 428,000
of them have originated within the . "Clearly any increase in
unemployment is unwelcome and a disappointment and it underlines the
need for a Budget next week which focuses on growth," commented , the 
of the , "on creating an environment where businesses are growing and
developing and creating jobs."

Within the four UK countries, thirty-eight thousand more people in
England have become unemployed. The unemployment levels in Northern
Ireland and Wales have increased by four thousand and two thousand
respectively. However, in Scotland, unemployment has decreased by
sixteen thousand.

== Related news ==
* UK unemployment rate reaches thirteen-year high
* Number of unemployed in the UK climbs to 2.4 million
== Sources == 
* http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-12757675
* http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/economics/8385489/Wages-fail-to-keep-track-with-inflation.html

== External links ==

*[http://www.statistics.gov.uk/default.asp Office for National
Statistics]
*[http://www.statistics.gov.uk/cci/nugget.asp?id=12 Office for National
Statistics: 'Unemployment rate rises to 8.0 per cent']



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