A continuing rise in the number of people out of work in the UK is likely to be shown by official figures later.
A further rise in the number of people out of work in the UK is likely to be shown by official figures later.
If the jobless total does go up it will be the eighth monthly rise in a row.
The TUC has predicted that the figures will show a jump of at least 30,000 people unemployed to 1.75 million.
The TUC union group has predicted that the figures from the Office for National Statistics will show a jump of at least 30,000 to 1.75 million.
The government has anticipated a rise by making an extra £100m available to re-train workers expected to lose their jobs as the economy slows down.
The government has anticipated a rise by making an extra £100m available to re-train workers expected to lose their jobs as the economy slows down.
The government said the extra money would be carefully targeted at sectors "experiencing significant job losses".
The extra money would be carefully targeted at sectors "experiencing significant job losses", it said.
The number of people out of work rose by 81,000 between May and July to 1.72 million. There can be no assumption that the people who are losing their jobs will find it easy to get new ones Brendan Barber TUC
Crunch 'intensifying'
The number of people out of work rose by 81,000 between May and July to 1.72 million.
Unemployment is likely to rise, certainly above two million. The question is how much further than that John Philpott, Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development
That rise took the official unemployment rate up from 5.3% to 5.5%.
That rise took the official unemployment rate up from 5.3% to 5.5%.
In August alone, the number claiming Jobseekers Allowance rose by 32,500 to 904,900.
The number claiming Jobseekers Allowance rose by 32,500 in August to 904,900.
Announcing the measures on Tuesday, Work and Pensions Secretary James Purnell said: "These are uncertain times and the clear message I want to send to people is that there is help out there if the worst happens and they find themselves unemployed."
The BBC's business correspondent Martin Shankleman said some economists were predicting that unemployment would rise to two million by Christmas.
And at least one forecast suggested it could reach three million by Christmas 2009, he said.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development said its surveys suggested the worst was still to come, with recruitment slowing and redundancies rising.
"It's simply that the crunch effect is intensifying, and will continue to intensify into next year," said the organisation's chief economist John Philpott.
"We'll see hundreds of thousands of jobs being lost, and unemployment is likely to rise, certainly above two million. The question is how much further than that".
Job hunting
There can be no assumption that the people who are losing their jobs will find it easy to get new ones Brendan Barber, TUC
In Tuesday's announcement of measures to retrain workers, Work and Pensions Secretary James Purnell said the UK was in "uncertain times".
"The clear message I want to send to people is that there is help out there if the worst happens and they find themselves unemployed," he added.
The TUC said the additional funding would be vital.
The TUC said the additional funding would be vital.
General secretary Brendan Barber said: "There can be no assumption that the people who are losing their jobs will find it easy to get new ones, and they will need all the help they can get with redundancy pay, re-training and personal advice."
"There can be no assumption that the people who are losing their jobs will find it easy to get new ones, and they will need all the help they can get with redundancy pay, re-training and personal advice," said general secretary Brendan Barber.
The TUC has also demanded a series of other measures which it says are needed to address the unemployment trend, including increasing the statutory minimum redundancy pay.
The TUC has also demanded a series of other measures which it says are needed to address the unemployment trend, including increasing the statutory minimum redundancy pay.
Mr Barber said the government should also drop its work-for-dole plans - designed to encourage people back to work - which he said were based on "blame-the-victim attitudes".
Mr Barber said the government should also drop its work-for-dole plans - designed to encourage people back to work - which he said were based on "blame-the-victim attitudes".
The BBC's business correspondent Martin Shankleman said some economists were predicting that unemployment would rise to 2 million by Christmas.
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At least one forecast suggested it could reach three million by next Christmas, he said.
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