Unemployment Falls And Record Numbers In Work

Unemployment has fallen and record numbers are in work, according to official figures.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said the number of people out of work in Britain fell by 2,000 to 1.69 million between January and March this year.

And the number of people in work rose by 44,000 to a new record of 31.5 million, taking the employment rate to a record high of 74.2%.

But David Freeman, a senior statistician at the Office for National Statistics, warned there is evidence the jobs market is "cooling off".

"The employment rate has hit another record high, but this time the increase is quite modest," he said.

"With (Other OTC: WWTH - news) unemployment very little changed - that is further evidence the jobs market could be cooling off."

The number of people claiming jobless benefits fell by 2,400 in April to 737,800, although revised data showed the figures rose by 14,700 between February and March - the biggest total since autumn 2011.

Average earnings increased by 2% in the year to March, up by 0.1% on the previous month, whilst unemployment held steady at 5.1%, as expected by economists.

The ONS said the timing of bonuses this year had affected the rise in total earnings.

Excluding bonuses, earnings rose by 2.1% year-on-year in the three months to March, down from 2.2% in February.

Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Stephen Crabb said: "These are another record-breaking set of figures, with more people in work than ever before and the unemployment rate is the lowest in a decade at 5.1%.

"More people in work means that more families across the UK are benefiting from the security of a regular wage and the fulfilment that employment brings.

"But the job is not done, which is why our welfare reforms, such as Universal Credit, are making sure that it always pays to be in work."