Figures released today have shown UK unemployment rose by 118,000 people in the three months to November to 2.685 million.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said the unemployment rate also rose to 8.4% from 8.3%, the highest since January 1996. The number of people who are now claiming either Jobseekers or some other government allowance rose by 1,200 to 1.6 million in December 2011.
Young people are one of the worst affected age groups with some1.43m, taking the percentage of 16-24 year-olds claiming work related benefits to 22.3%. These statistics are despite a rise in the number of people in employment in the three months to November by 18,000 to 29.119 million.
David Cameron, said the figures were not good news: "Any increase in unemployment is disappointing and obviously a tragedy for the person who becomes unemployed - that is why we are taking action to get people back to work".
David Cameron did emphasise that a small increase in the number of people who successfully secured employment was at least positive whilst identifying a small fall in the long-term unemployed.
Ed Miliband, leader of the Labour party said the government "was cutting too far and too fast" and accused the prime minister of being "out of touch", when directing eyes to the slight rise in employment figures.
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