Unemployment rises in East Midlands
The UK unemployment rate has reached its highest level since 1994 with 2.53 million people jobless, the Office for National Statistics has revealed. The number of jobseekers in the East Midlands also rose, however, the Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire Chamber of Commerce said that demand for labour was becoming stronger.
According to the Office for National Statistics, the number of new claimants rose by 27,000, taking the number of unemployed people in the UK to 8 per cent.
George Cowcher, chief executive of the Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire Chamber of Commerce, said: "The rate of increase in claimants in February reduced significantly when compared to January as fewer seasonal workers returned to the job market, so we are now starting to see a truer reflection of what is happening locally.
"Whilst the claimant count still increased, it's important to point out that demand for labour is at its strongest for a number of months and there are plenty of opportunities out there for jobseekers who are prepared to be flexible in what they are looking for.”
The unemployment rate for those aged from 16 to 24 increased by 0.8 per cent on the quarter to reach 20.6 per cent of the economically active population - the highest figure since comparable records began in 1992.
