ONS stats suggest record number of Brits in employment

The final figures of 2014 from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) demonstrated that a record number of Brits are now employed, with full-time jobs now accounting for 95 per cent of the rise in UK employment in the last 12 months.

Private sector employment soared by 637,000 jobs, with average pay also increasing by two per cent.

More encouragingly, youth employment has increased by 109,000 in the past year, with 3.8 million young adults now in jobs.

The number of young people aged 18 to 24 claiming unemployment benefits has fallen to its lowest level since the 1970s, with falling numbers every month for the last three years.

In the last 12 months, the UK has seen the strongest levels of employment growth in the G7 – stronger than the United States, Germany, Japan, France and Canada.

Iain Duncan Smith, Work and Pensions Secretary, said: “These remarkable figures show that our long term economic plan to create a better more prosperous future for Britain is working.

“Behind them are countless stories of individual hard-work and determination, with more people than ever before feeling financially secure.

“What we can see at the end of 2014, is that our welfare reforms are ensuring that people have the skills and opportunities to move into work.

“Whether that’s work experience for young people to get their foot on the career ladder, the benefit cap encouraging people to get a job, or the Work Programme which is helping more people than any previous jobs scheme.

“These figures show that our long term economic plan to create a better more prosperous future for Britain is working – with thousands of people feeling more secure over the Christmas period with a regular wage.”

Date published 23 Dec 2014 | Last updated 23 Dec 2014