News: 23rd January 2013

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has confirmed that UK unemployment fell by 37,000 between September and November to 2.49 million - an 18-month low.

Small businesses and others continued to increase their headcounts towards the end of last year, the figures suggest, as the number of people in employment - 29.7 million - hit a record high.

Around 71.4 per cent of the 16 to 64-year-old population were in employment across the three-month period, an increase of 90,000 between June and August last year.

Speaking about the figures, Employment Minister Mark Hoban said: "These are very positive figures showing employment rising for 15 months and despite difficult economic circumstances, unemployment is lower than when this government took office."

It comes after Bank of Scotland's Report on Jobs revealed that the temporary and permanent employment market grew in December, showing that firms are increasingly looking to expand their staff numbers.

Posted by Emily Smith