Unemployment fell by 35,000 to 2.65 million over the December-to-February period, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).   The claimant count rose by 3,600 in March to 1.61 million.

The unemployment rate edged down from a 12-year high of 8.4% to 8.3%, the lowest level since the summer of last year.

Responding to the latest figures, TUC general secretary Brendan Barber said: “While any rise in the number of jobs is welcome, the fact is that full-time employment is still falling and a record 1.4 million are now stuck in involuntary part-time work.

The latest report contained some encouraging news for younger jobseekers, with the number of unemployed 16-24 year-olds falling to 1.03 million.

However the rate of youth unemployment, at 22.2%, remains high.

Credit: APD/BBC/Reuters