Unemployment stabilises

Date: 17th February 2010

The UK's unemployment rate was maintained at 7.8 per cent in the three months to December 2009, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

Figures from the latest ONS Labour Market Statistics have revealed that the were 2.46 million unemployed people at the end of 2009, representing no change from the figure recorded for the three months to September last year.

However, the report also revealed that there were 8.08 million inactive people of working age during quarter four of 2009, an increase of 0.2 per cent on the previous three months.

Yvette Cooper, secretary of state for work and pensions, said: "Unemployment is much lower than expected last year, reflecting the tough decisions families and businesses have taken to protect jobs, as well as the substantial extra investment in getting people back to work.

"But we know things are going to be tough for a while and we expect further increases in unemployment before the summer."