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| UK unemployed may top two million | UK unemployed may top two million |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| The number of jobless people in the UK could climb above two million for the first time since 1997, when figures are published later. | The number of jobless people in the UK could climb above two million for the first time since 1997, when figures are published later. |
| Between September and November 2008 unemployment rose to 1.92 million, up 131,000 from the previous three months. | Between September and November 2008 unemployment rose to 1.92 million, up 131,000 from the previous three months. |
| Following a wave of job losses, including 27,000 at Woolworths, a sharp rise is also expected in the number of people claiming jobseeker's allowance. | Following a wave of job losses, including 27,000 at Woolworths, a sharp rise is also expected in the number of people claiming jobseeker's allowance. |
| The prime minister is meeting business leaders later to discuss how to help. | The prime minister is meeting business leaders later to discuss how to help. |
| Executives from Sainsbury's, the Royal Mail, Whitbread, Centrica, National Express and Travelodge are expected to attend Downing Street for the first meeting of the National Employment Partnership. | Executives from Sainsbury's, the Royal Mail, Whitbread, Centrica, National Express and Travelodge are expected to attend Downing Street for the first meeting of the National Employment Partnership. |
| The companies, as well as NHS and local authority leaders, will agree to advertise all non-specialist vacancies through the Jobcentre Plus network and to start offering more apprenticeships. | The companies, as well as NHS and local authority leaders, will agree to advertise all non-specialist vacancies through the Jobcentre Plus network and to start offering more apprenticeships. |
| 'Scarred communities' | 'Scarred communities' |
| On Tuesday, Work and Pensions Secretary James Purnell said: "We know times are tough and we will do all we can to help people who lose their jobs find another as quickly as possible to prevent the long-term unemployment which has so scarred communities in the past from taking root." | On Tuesday, Work and Pensions Secretary James Purnell said: "We know times are tough and we will do all we can to help people who lose their jobs find another as quickly as possible to prevent the long-term unemployment which has so scarred communities in the past from taking root." |
| FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME More from Today programme He said businesses were already helping thousands of people into work through a local employment partnership scheme and would later pledge to help 200,000 more into jobs over the next year. | FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME More from Today programme He said businesses were already helping thousands of people into work through a local employment partnership scheme and would later pledge to help 200,000 more into jobs over the next year. |
| Travelodge chief executive Grant Hearn said the scheme helped to ease the process of recruitment. | Travelodge chief executive Grant Hearn said the scheme helped to ease the process of recruitment. |
| "This has enabled us to work quickly and efficiently across the UK with local job centres to find recruits," he said. | "This has enabled us to work quickly and efficiently across the UK with local job centres to find recruits," he said. |
| Richard Exell, from the Trades Union Congress (TUC), told the BBC he hoped the plan would prompt a joint effort to address unemployment. | Richard Exell, from the Trades Union Congress (TUC), told the BBC he hoped the plan would prompt a joint effort to address unemployment. |
| "We need measures to help people who've lost their jobs, but also... measures to help people who are at risk of becoming unemployed," he said. | "We need measures to help people who've lost their jobs, but also... measures to help people who are at risk of becoming unemployed," he said. |
| "We'd like to see for instance some extra help to support firms that introduce short-time working instead of making people redundant." | "We'd like to see for instance some extra help to support firms that introduce short-time working instead of making people redundant." |
| BBC business correspondent Nils Blythe explained that figures on the wider measure of unemployment - which also includes people not claiming benefits - will only cover the three months up to December so will not include the most recent job losses. | BBC business correspondent Nils Blythe explained that figures on the wider measure of unemployment - which also includes people not claiming benefits - will only cover the three months up to December so will not include the most recent job losses. |
| However, he said he expected the total to rise above two million, with that figure likely to increase further once the latest redundancy programmes are captured in official statistics. | However, he said he expected the total to rise above two million, with that figure likely to increase further once the latest redundancy programmes are captured in official statistics. |
| Redundancies mounting | Redundancies mounting |
| A TUC study said that while unemployment in the UK was lower than the European average, it was now increasing twice as fast as the average across Europe. | A TUC study said that while unemployment in the UK was lower than the European average, it was now increasing twice as fast as the average across Europe. |
| The UK has one of the lowest unemployment rates in Europe at 6.1%, compared with a European average of 7.7%, the union said. | The UK has one of the lowest unemployment rates in Europe at 6.1%, compared with a European average of 7.7%, the union said. |
| But between December 2007 and October 2008, the UK had the third sharpest increase in unemployment, behind Spain and Ireland, it added. | But between December 2007 and October 2008, the UK had the third sharpest increase in unemployment, behind Spain and Ireland, it added. |
| Over the same period, unemployment in France was found to go up by just 0.1% and fell 0.8% in Germany. | Over the same period, unemployment in France was found to go up by just 0.1% and fell 0.8% in Germany. |
| TUC general secretary Brendan Barber said: "The UK began the global recession with a relatively strong jobs position, but our advantage is beginning to disappear as redundancies mount." | TUC general secretary Brendan Barber said: "The UK began the global recession with a relatively strong jobs position, but our advantage is beginning to disappear as redundancies mount." |
| Are you affected by this news? Have you recently lost your job, or started claiming jobseeker's allowance? Have you managed to find a new job in the past few weeks? | Are you affected by this news? Have you recently lost your job, or started claiming jobseeker's allowance? Have you managed to find a new job in the past few weeks? |
| Send your comments using the post form below. | Send your comments using the post form below. |
| In most cases a selection of your comments will be published, displaying your name and location unless you state otherwise in the box below. | In most cases a selection of your comments will be published, displaying your name and location unless you state otherwise in the box below. |