Despite the "double-dip" recession and impending Eurozone doom, unemployment in Britain has actually fallen, according to the Office for National Statistics.


  • The number of people out of work fell by 45,000 between January and March to 2.65m
  • The number of people claiming jobseeker's allowance last month fell by 13,700 to 1.59m - the biggest fall since July 2010
  • The UK's jobless rate, at 8.2pc, is well below the 10.9pc unemployment rate in the euro region, where property busts in Spain and Ireland shattered the labour-intensive house-building industry
  • Jobless-benefit claims fell by 13,700 from March, the biggest fall since July 2010, to 1.59 million



 Though many have been quick to air their caution, despite this sliver of positive news.
John Salt, director at Totaljobs, said:
"Today’s statistics are proof if it were needed that not all that glitters is gold. The fall in unemployment barely dents the ranks of the jobless, whilst the number of underemployed – those forced into part-time work or self-employment – continues to grow relentlessly. There is simply not the consumer demand nor the business confidence that would prompt the private sector investment needed to off-set previous job cuts."

"The figures could get worse,” agreed Vicky Redwood, an economist at Capital Economics Ltd. in London. “The return to recession will knock business confidence and prompt job cuts. While private sector employment is rising at the moment, overall the picture looks weak.”


Read more here from Bloomberg and the BBC