UK / Unemployment rate down 0.2 at 7.8 per cent and the biggest quarterly fall in unemployment since 2001

For August to October 2012:

The employment rate for those aged from 16 to 64 was 71.2 per cent, up 0.1 on May to July 2012 and up 0.9 on a year earlier.

There were 29.60 million people in employment aged 16 and over, up 40,000 on May to July 2012 and up 499,000 on a year earlier.

The unemployment rate was 7.8 per cent of the economically active population, down 0.2 on May to July 2012 and down 0.5 on a year earlier. There were 2.51 million unemployed people, down 82,000 on May to July 2012 and down 128,000 on a year earlier. (The biggest quarterly fall in unemployment since 2001 says BBC)

Total hours worked per week were 949.0 million for August to October 2012, up 14.2 million from May to July 2012 and up 24.4 million on a year earlier.

5 Years Basis – Between August to October 2007 and August to October 2012:

• the number of people in full-time employment fell by 421,000,
• the number of people in part-time employment increased by 709,000,
• the number of unemployed people increased by 879,000

via Labour Market Statistics, December 2012.