 Jobs@Pertemps News
 UNEMPLOYMENT HIGHEST FOR EIGHT YEARS |
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Recent employment statistics released today have dealt another blow to UK economic prospects after the announcement that unemployment is now the highest it has been for eight years.
A total of 1.79 million people were out of work in the quarter to August, an unemployment rate of 5.7%, up by 0.5% over the quarter and the highest since the spring of 2000. The quarterly increase in the number of people out of work, including those not eligible for benefit, was the highest since the summer of 1991, when it jumped by 186,000.
However, whilst permanent employment statistics are low Pertemps, one of the leading recruitment agencies in the UK, have reported a significant increase in flexible and temporary working figures.
Steve West, Board Director of Pertemps said: “Over the last quarter Pertemps has seen an increase of about 11% in Flexible Employee numbers against the corresponding period last year.
“These figures are typical of the uncertainty surrounding the economic climate and whilst businesses are unable to commit to full-time and long-term working contracts there is still a need for workers. The workforce requirement is encouraging businesses to use a flexible workforce to continue to run its businesses.
“Pertemps provide contracts of employment to all flexible workers offering security and benefits to both business and workers alike reducing the need for companies to commit to long-term contracts and providing employees with the security of a contract of employment.”
Latest data from the Office for National Statistics also showed a 46,000 drop in the number of manufacturing jobs to a record low of 2.87 million. Other figures also confirmed fears that the economic slowdown is now hitting jobs and employment prospects. A total of 147,000 people were made redundant in the three months to August, an increase of 28,000 on the previous quarter.
Meanwhile the number of people classed as economically inactive, including people looking after a relative, on long-term sick leave or who have given up seeking work, rose by 16,000 in the latest period to 7.89 million, more than 20% of the working age population. The number of unemployed men increased by 111,000 to over a million in the three months to August, while for women the figure rose by 52,000 to 732,000. The figures also revealed that the number of people out of work for more than a year has increased by 35,000 to 440,000. Unemployment among 18 to 24-year-olds was 559,000, up by 56,000 from the three months to May. Average earnings increased by 3.4% in the year to August, down by 0.1% on the previous month.
Unemployment in the regions between June and August was:
| Region | Total unemployed | Change on quarter | Unemployment rate |
| North East | 96,000 | plus 5,000 | 7.7% |
| North West | 221,000 | plus 14,000 | 6.6% |
| Yorkshire & the Humber | 163,000 | plus 17,000 | 6.2% |
| East Midlands | 143,000 | plus 13,000 | 6.2% |
| West Midlands | 169,000 | plus 4,000 | 6.4% |
| East | 142,000 | plus 10,000 | 4.8% |
| London | 304,000 | plus 39,000 | 7.5% |
| South East | 200,000 | plus 28,000 | 4.5% |
| South West | 109,000 | plus 3,000 | 4.1% |
| Wales | 85,000 | plus 10,000 | 5.9% |
| Scotland | 124,000 | plus 19,000 | 4.7% |
| Northern Ireland | 35,000 | plus 1,000 | 4.3% |
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