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Unemployment has risen for the first time in two years and across age groups, according to official data from government.

Office for National Statistics (ONS) data, published this morning, revealed unemployment in the quarter March to May totalled 1.85m, up 15,000 from the previous quarter.

But the data also reveals there appears to be no pattern to the rise in unemployment in terms of age groups.

While the number of 16-17-year-olds (up 5,000), 25-34-year-olds (up 7,000) and 50-64-year-olds (up 22,000) in employment increased over the period, the numbers of 18-24 year-olds (down 11,000), 35-49-year-olds (down 42,000) and the over 65s in work (down 46,000) fell over the quarter.

Commenting on the figures, Chris Jones, chief executive of the City & Guilds Group, called on government to do more to help all age groups back into work.

“It’s great that youth unemployment continues to fall. Even though 15.9% of young people are still unemployed, the government’s investment in cutting youth unemployment is clearly starting to pay off. We need to see that kind of commitment for everyone, no matter what age or stage they’re at in their careers.

“The fact that overall unemployment has increased is a sign that government needs to do more to support high-quality skills education and training for all ages, not just young people. Getting into work is one thing; progressing in the workplace and being a productive employee is another.”

The figures also revealed the number of self-employed people fell by 131,000 compared to a year ago.

Also commenting on the data, Chris Bryce, chief executive at the association of independent professionals and the self-employed (IPSE), said: “The majority of jobs created in recent years came from the self-employed community, and if the government is to reach its ambition of an extra 2m people in the labour market by the end of the parliament, this group has a vital role to play.

“However, contrary to what is needed, last week’s Summer Budget delivered a number of measures which have potential to restrict growth of the self-employed. We urge the government to rethink plans which will be detrimental to this important part of the labour market.”

Here at Linda Taylor’s we are still always looking for candidates to fill local office vacancies.  If you are a candidate looking for work or a company looking for staff, please get in touch today and we can let you know how we can help.  Working together we can keep the recruitment market in Salford and Manchester buoyant and buck the National trend!

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