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J J Ellison
UK News

Unemployment falls to 2009 levels

by Desmond Busteed

The number of people claiming jobseeker's allowance was cut by 38,600 in January to 823,000, the 27th consecutive monthly fall.

Long-term unemployment was also down, falling by 210,000 for those out of work for over a year, to 638,000.

However, James Carne from Christian's Against Poverty's Jobs Clubs expressed concern as figures released by the Office for National Statistics showed youth unemployment rose by 3,000 between October and December last year.

Speaking on Premier's 'News Hour,' he said: "It's really troubling that there are so many people facing those challenges, and I think for us as Christians Against Poverty and as the Church, they're definitely a group of people that we would like to be reaching out to in local communities and supporting to move themselves into work."

Labour has argued that too many of the jobs are part time or zero hour contracts.

Shadow employment minister Stephen Timms, a Christian, said: "Today's fall in overall unemployment is welcome but five years of the Tories' failing plan has left working people £1,600 a year worse off since 2010.

"Low pay has left millions of working families struggling to make ends meet and has led to billions more spent on the housing benefit bill."

Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith said: "With unemployment continuing to fall, wages rising, and a record number of people in work, it's clear that the Government's long-term economic plan to get the country back on track is working.

"The jobs-led recovery is changing people's lives for the better on a daily basis. We are getting people into work, making work pay, and in so doing we are ensuring a better future for Britain."

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