UK unemployment is continuing to rise - climbing by 27,000 to 1.71 million in the three months to September, the highest level in seven years.

The jobless rate to 5.6%, up from 5.5% in the previous quarter, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said.

 

The number of people out of work and claiming Jobseekers Allowance rose by 1,200 in October to 961,300.

 

Average earnings grew by 3.9% in the year to September, down from 4.2% in the previous month.

 

Other ONS data showed that that 141,000 people were made redundant in quarter, up by 3,000 from the previous three months.

 

The number of people working in manufacturing fell by 77,000 over the year to about three million - the lowest level since records began in 1841.

 

However, the rise in the UK population led to the number of people actually in work increasing by 56,000 over the quarter to 28.9 million.

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6149830.stm

*BUMP* Human Bump!

 

The United States Unemployment Rate

Looking back at recent history, while the unemplyment rate is high, in a sense it's not all that bad compared to 1982, even the mid 1990's. Perhaps the economic situation isn't beyond hope at this point - while the unemplyment figures continue to rise, we can restructure in a way to lower the figure and change the direction of the curve..

It's worse in Britain because the UK doesn't have any real industries any more.......................:rolleyes:

 

The real unemployment rate is typically much higher, because governments want to make themselves look good.

Have a war... it will sort it out !

plus that article is 2.5 years old.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7839361.stm

 

Here's a more recent chart.

 

And Bart is right, we should draft young men into the military to artificially lower the unemployment numbers! And pay them with printed money.

Starting at 1994 is a bit limiting when looking at historic trends. I think we've been through worse, and while it's a recession, it isn't the end-of-the world as some people keep prophesying.. The slope on the graph looks bad for the past year though.. it might get worse before it gets better. I'm still not convinced it can't be recovered before we plunge further down..

The UK doesn't have any real industries anymore? I have a protractor made in England, and a chocolate bar made there too! They offer some great entertainment venues, too (;))... And MoonPig!:laugh3: