Business

Worldwide Recession: UK’s Unemployment Numbers Hit 17-Year High

Britain’s unemployment hit its highest level in 17 years Wednesday.

Figures from the Office for National Statistics showed that 2.64 million people were unemployed in Britain at the end of October—that’s the highest level since 1994 and 128,000 more than in the previous quarter.

Unfortunately for the UK, more than one record was shattered when these unemployment numbers came out:

  • Unemployment among 16 to 24 year olds increased by 54,000 to 1.03 million–the highest level since records of youth employment started to be kept in 1992.
  • The number of women unemployed swelled by 45,000 to 1.1 million, the highest since 1988.
  • Britain’s unemployment rate is now 8.3 percent, up 0.4 percent on the quarter and at its highest level since 1996.

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

Prime Minister David Cameron told lawmakers the government was trying to reduce joblessness.

“Any increase in unemployment is bad news and a tragedy for those involved,” he told lawmakers. “We will do all we can to help people back in to work.”

Worldwide Recession: UKs Unemployment Hits 17 Year HighBritish Prime Minister David Cameron

The statistics office also revealed that public sector employment had 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.

Dave Prentis, leader of the public sector union Unison, said the latest unemployment figures showed the government strategy is failing.

“The government continues to ignore the human cost and push ahead with its hard and fast cuts, clinging to the hope that a struggling private sector can pick up the pieces,” he said. “These figures deliver a cold hard dose of reality. It is shameful to see that yet again women, who make up the majority of low-paid public sector workers, are the hardest hit by job losses.”

The government had hoped that the private sector would create jobs to compensate for those lost in the public sector but the ongoing economic crisis has meant that a number of companies are struggling to stay afloat.

The Associated Press contribute to this story.

Comments (11)

  • gmoneytx
    Posted on December 16, 2011 at 7:30am

    All hail the queen!

    Report Post » gmoneytx  
  • Anglo-Catholic
    Posted on December 16, 2011 at 12:01am

    Cut immigration – that might work.

    Report Post »  
  • Git-R-Done
    Posted on December 15, 2011 at 7:19pm

    I see the whole continent of Europe collapsing.

    Report Post »  
  • akairey
    Posted on December 15, 2011 at 11:18am

    Nothing to look at. There’s no problem here. Go on about your business.

    Report Post »  
  • gypsyman
    Posted on December 15, 2011 at 2:06am

    And, it’s coming to this country. Especially if Obama gets re-elected.He’ll do in possibly 8 years, what took Rome over 400. Fall into ruin.

    Report Post »  
  • pmjr-jones
    Posted on December 14, 2011 at 10:39pm

    ceo‘s ruined are economy say they don’t have enough money for there employees while the prez tells him to do it and effect world wide economy there many corpz out there that who run the country not the political arena.

    Report Post »  
  • pmjr-jones
    Posted on December 14, 2011 at 10:31pm

    anything to make us not worried about are own economy

    Report Post »  
  • robert
    Posted on December 14, 2011 at 4:53pm

    The unemployment rate for most of the rest of Europe is about twice…..or more….than Britain. Spain’s rate is around 20% right now.

    Question: The multicults in Europe are still pushing for the importation of third world peons, so where are they going to work? Also, each one gets a monetary package as an immigrant, with free housing, food, and medical care. Question: As the economy weakens even more, where are they going to get the money to pay for all these extras?

    Answer: There will be no money to support immigrant freeloaders and they will turn to crime to survive. They will also riot when these austerity measures are put in place.

    Chaos will soon be the order of the day in Europe.

    You would think they would understand all this before they opted for more immigration. I’m sorry to say these elites are just not that bright. Their stupidity will cause much havoc before all is said and done.

    Report Post »  
  • RightPolitically
    Posted on December 14, 2011 at 3:56pm

    They are a mess over there. Add to that there Muslim problem and oh boyyyyy!

    Report Post » RightPolitically  
    • RightPolitically
      Posted on December 14, 2011 at 3:57pm

      Correction: “their” not there, ha. ha.

      Report Post » RightPolitically  
    • akairey
      Posted on December 15, 2011 at 11:17am

      you had it right initially. (there= pointing to a location vs. their= a possession of some of sort)

      Report Post »  

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