Jobless total rises by 38,000

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The number of people out of work in the UK rose by 38,000 to 1.64 million between February and April. It is the biggest rise since July 2006.

Data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows the worst-hit employment sectors this year have been the manufacturing and financial services areas, which shed 11,000 and 20,000 jobs respectively during the first three months.

In a further sign of pressure from the economic slowdown, the number of people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance rose by 9,000 last month to 819,300.

This is the fourth consecutive monthly rise - the first time that has happened for two years. April's claimant count figure was revised upward 4,000 from 806,300 to 810,300.

There was also a dip in the rate of average earnings increase, which fell 0.2 percentage points to 3.8% during the year to April. The figure was 4% during the year to March.

Manufacturing jobs continued to reach a record low, down 33,000 in the latest quarter to 2.89 million, the worst since comparable records began in 1978.

Despite the increase in unemployment, the number of people in work increased by 76,000 in the three months to March to 29.55 million, a record high and reflecting an increase in the working age population.

There were 22.04 million people in full-time jobs, up 80,000 from the three months to January, and 7.51 million part-timers, a dip of 4,000. The number of people in public sector employment dropped by 20,000 between March and December, to 5.76 million, while jobs in private firms rose by 96,000 during the period.

In the three months to April, 110,000 people reported they had been made redundant, down 2,000 from the three months to January.