Unemployment high The Office for National Statistics has released the latest employment statistics. For September to November 2011: The employment rate for those aged from 16 to 64 was 70.3%, down 0.1% on the quarter. There were 29.12 million people in employment aged 16 and over, up 18,000 on the quarter. The unemployment rate was 8.4% of the economically active population, up 0.3% on the quarter. There were 2.68 million unemployed people, up 118,000 on the quarter. The unemployment rate has not been higher since 1995 and the number of unemployed people has not been higher since 1994. Doctor Neil Bentley, CBI Deputy Director-General, said: ‘These figures show that unemployment continues to be a major concern and is particularly worrying for young people.’ ‘Notwithstanding the gravity of the situation, over half of the headline rise in unemployment over the last quarter represents people who were previously economically inactive switching to actively look for work.’ ‘The only way to resolve unemployment in the short-term is to pull out all the stops to get the economy moving and businesses growing. Specialist help for our young people, like the new ‘Youth Contract’, will help support them to make the difficult transition into work.’ ‘But over the longer term, the Government must look at how our schools prepare people for working life through better careers advice, guidance, and skills that employers need.’    Internet links:    ONS report   -  CBI press release back