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Employment levels soar but record 8million have given up looking for work
Last updated at 22:37pm on 17.10.07
There has been a drop of 47,000 in unemployment figures in the past 12 months
The ranks of the 'hidden unemployed' have swollen to nearly eight million, figures showed yesterday.
The number of 'economically inactive' adults, who do not show up on official unemployment statistics, has risen by 190,000 this year.
It means the total of jobless Britons - including both the economically inactive and the unemployed who are looking for jobs - is now 9.62million.
Figures for economic inactivity show the numbers of those who have bowed out of the jobs market for reasons of sickness or 'discouragement'.
These include those who rely on state sickness benefits, those who have given up looking for work, students and mothers who bring up their children full-time.
The figures from the Office for National Statistics showed that the number of people classed as economically inactive rose to 7.97million in the three months to August, up 190,000 over the previous 12 months.
However, the number of those classed as unemployed actually fell by 47,000 to 1.65million.
Tory work and pensions spokesman Chris Grayling said: "Once again these figures show you can't trust Gordon Brown when he talks about getting people back into work.
"When you read the small print on what is really going on behind the headlines, you find that more and more people are dropping out of the system, and that the number of people in work is falling."
But employment Minister Caroline Flint said a strong and stable economy had meant record numbers in work.
Reader views (5)
I'll tell you what isn't fair. My wife is looking for work in the industry she has many qualifications for, but because of the general nepotistical and highly competitive nature of the industry, she hasn't been able to get a job. She isn't entitled to any benefits because I make supposedly enough money to support us for a comfortable life, although my salary is the equivalent to two people earning £23K taking into account the tax advantages of two people versus one. Therefore she isn't officially seeking a job which couldn't be further from the truth.
- James, London, UK
More social cases to be fed by the Crash Gordon.
- Georgie, Islington, London
If 8 million people have given up looking for work then why don't the government give up paying them? Oh yes, because they vote Liebour.
- Trevor Roll, London
I blame job agencies.
- Jay, London, UK
We simply can't afford so many 'economically inactive' people. There are far too many people on incapacity benefit, most of them 'suffering' from 'stress' or mysterious back pains that can't be proved not to exist. These people need to be rigourously monitored and fined if they're swinging the lead.
- Paul, London
