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| UK unemployment increases again | UK unemployment increases again |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| The number of people out of work in the UK rose by another 164,000 between June and August, to 1.79 million, according to government figures. | The number of people out of work in the UK rose by another 164,000 between June and August, to 1.79 million, according to government figures. |
| The rise - the biggest since 1991 - took the official unemployment rate to 5.7% from 5.2% in the previous quarter. | The rise - the biggest since 1991 - took the official unemployment rate to 5.7% from 5.2% in the previous quarter. |
| Jobseeker's allowance claimants rose by 31,800 to 939,900 in September said the Office for National Statistics. | Jobseeker's allowance claimants rose by 31,800 to 939,900 in September said the Office for National Statistics. |
| In a further sign of the economic slowdown, the number of people in work and the number of vacancies both fell. | In a further sign of the economic slowdown, the number of people in work and the number of vacancies both fell. |
| After years when we could take reasonably full employment for granted, we are now in for grim times. Brendan BarberTUC | |
| And average annual earnings growth slowed to 3.4% in the three months to August - the weakest in five years and a sign that headline inflation was not being reflected in wages. | |
| The 5.7% unemployment rate was the highest since the three months to March 2000. | The 5.7% unemployment rate was the highest since the three months to March 2000. |
| 'Worse to come' | 'Worse to come' |
| The government is to make an extra £100m available to re-train workers who lose their jobs as the economy slows. | The government is to make an extra £100m available to re-train workers who lose their jobs as the economy slows. |
| The BBC's business correspondent Martin Shankleman said some economists were predicting that unemployment would rise to two million by Christmas. | 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, by Capital Economics, suggested it could reach three million by Christmas 2010. | |
| 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 The unemployment figures were "extremely bad news", said general secretary of the TUC union body, Brendan Barber, especially as they did not show the effects of the bank crash. | |
| "After years when we could take reasonably full employment for granted, we are now in for grim times. This is the next big challenge for government." | |
| Plans for additional funding would be vital, he added. | |
| Jacqui Hay, recently unemployed: 'I have a panic attack once a week' | Jacqui Hay, recently unemployed: 'I have a panic attack once a week' |
| "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." | |
| Meanwhile, 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. | "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." | "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." |
| 'People suffering' | |
| Prime Minister Gordon Brown said the government would do all it could to create work and help people maintain their jobs in the British economy. | |
| FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME More from Today programme | |
| "Unemployment and redundancies are something that we wish to avoid wherever possible," he said. | "Unemployment and redundancies are something that we wish to avoid wherever possible," he said. |
| But Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary Chris Grayling said the government's handling of the economy over the past ten year was "feeding through into the real economy". | |
| "Unfortunately many people suffer as a result," he added. | "Unfortunately many people suffer as a result," he added. |
| And Liberal Democrat Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, Jenny Willott, was another saying unemployment was set to get worse. | |
| "The effects of the banking crisis have filtered down to the real economy and are affecting people across the county. | |
| "Now the banking rescue package has been agreed, the government must turn its attention to unemployment and inflation. Real families across Britain are suffering, not just those working in the Square Mile. " | |
| Have you been made redundant recently? Are you worried about losing your job? Send us your comments using the form below: | Have you been made redundant recently? Are you worried about losing your job? Send us your comments using the form below: |