British unemployment hits seven-year low: data

[LONDON] Britain's unemployment rate hit a new seven-year low in the third quarter, while employment struck a record high, official data showed Wednesday.

The rate - the proportion of the labour force without work - for the three months to the end of September slid to 5.3 per cent, a level last seen in early 2008.

That compared with 5.4 per cent in the three months to the end of August, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) added in a statement.

The jobless total dipped by 103,000 to 1.75 million people between July and September, which was also a seven-year low.

The number of people in work hit a record high 31.2 million, 419,000 more than a year ago and up by 177,000 over the quarter.

The ONS added however that the number of people claiming jobless benefits increased in October by 3,300 to 795,500, rising for the third month in a row.

AFP