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December 15, 2011

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UK jobless rate at 17-year high

BRITAIN'S unemployment rate hit its highest level for 17 years yesterday, with women and young people bearing the brunt of the deepening jobs crisis as the country's austerity measures and economic weakness began to bite.

Data from the Office for National Statistics showed that 2.64 million people were unemployed in Britain at the end of October - 128,000 more than in the previous quarter and the highest level since 1994. Unemployment among people 16 to 24 year old rose by 54,000 to 1.03 million - the highest level since records of youth employment began to be kept in 1992. Women's unemployment increased by 45,000 to 1.1 million, the highest since 1988.

The British government has been criticized for cutting programs that help young people break into the job market, and opposition leader Ed Miliband has said that the country faces having a "lost generation" of people who find it impossible to get work.

Official data shows that public sector employment had also fallen by 67,000 to just below 6 million - the first time the level has been that low since 2003.

Cutting costs in the public sector has been a key part of the British government's strategy to reduce the country's debt. It has clashed with public sector unions over its austerity measures, with unions saying the cuts are unfair and hit poorly paid workers the hardest.





 

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