UK jobless total at seven-year low
 

Unemployment in the UK has continued to fall and the number of people in work has continued to rise, according to the latest official figures.

The number of people out of work in the January to March period fell to 1.83 million, down 35,000 from the previous quarter and the lowest for seven years.

At the same time, the total number in work rose to 31.1 million.
Average pay for employees, excluding bonuses, rose by 2.2% in the quarter compared with a year earlier.

Including the effect of bonus payments, average pay rose by 1.9% over the same period.

The figures mean that regular pay is now growing at its fastest rate for nearly four years.

It is also the seventh month in a row that the rate of regular pay increases has outstripped the prevailing annual rate of inflation, as measured by the consumer prices index.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-32719779

:clap1: Great news

and the news that food prices are at a 9 year low

Waits for the inevitable claims that this is false and the resurrection of the 'food banks' argument.

This is BS as they don't what about people on zero hour contracts or those who have been sanctioned as there not accounted for

I have said for ages, the people that are on 16 hour contracts,(which is really only part time work),and that is actually what all the staff are on at my local Supermarket, except for Supervisors and dept; heads.

Also everyone on a zero hours contract, whether happy to be on one or not, should still be classed as not being in full time work at all and therefore not 'fully' employed.

So for me both the 'those in employment figures', and the current 'unemployed' figure are misleading.
Anyone not in full time work, in my view is not in full employment, and we should have that breakdown so better judgements can be made as to who is in good full time regular work and who is not.

I have been saying that for years.

62 labour MPS employed people on zero hours contracts during 2013

Ed Balls used 4

Who gives a crap about massaged employment figures when some of those are forced to work for free to retain their benefits, many of those are on zero hours contracts, many of those have very little job security and a lot of those aren't paid anywhere near enough to live on comfortably.

I doubt that those people are considered to be 'employed' though

Only 5 labour mps voted against the austerity cuts before the election

seems odd

And the Conservatives backed Labour's spending plans in 2007/8 which they so vehemently criticised during the campaign

seems odd

Critics will just not accept when things are moving in the right direction with the economy and it doesn't tie in with their own ideals. Its crazy.

Every hour worked whether it be part time, full time or jolly roger time is benefiting the economy, our services and the well being of the people in our country. Stop whining and accept that great strides are being made in the recovery of this country

People's livelihoods > the economy

Guess I must just be a more compassionate person than most to care more about standards of living than deficit reduction.

And before someone mentions it, it is a myth that the latter has a positive impact on the former. If people aren't paid enough to sustain a sufficient standard of life, who gives a flying **** if the economy is improving for those in the middle and at the top?

The plan is working and the public have backed it

#roadtorecovery

Your avatar is very offensive, please remove it :yuk:

Remember when we used to be able to have a balanced, adult discussion about politics in here? Seems like a faded memory.

I would personally just like it if there were a breakdown of the figures as, in my opinion, the only figures that are relevant are where people are in 30+ hours per week of employment. Not making claims either way - those figures may well have improved too - I don't know, because no one seems to be releasing them :shrug:.

"People in work" just objectively means nothing at all. 6 hours of minimum wage a week is "in work".

lol serious debates hasn't been like that in a long time and I certainly haven't played a role in making it like that

No you haven't Jack. I was talking generally. And actually, I can remember when it was a much nicer place to be than it is now.

Check you out Livia, pretending like you haven't been part of the problem. :hmph:

Its a beautiful hand made patchwork quilt

Jack
Its Fecking Like that all over the World.

Many want Legit Zero hour contracts


You seem to be in the past
sadly


Feel The Force

Whatever.

Thats what I felt like
when Kizzy had her Labour avatar

Yes Quality