THE number of unemployed people in Britain rose by 24,000 to 1.45 million between November and January, the Office of National Statistics (ONS) reported yesterday.

The unemployment rate is the joint-lowest since 1975 after falling by 127,000 compared with the year before, but only four of 12 regions had a fall in unemployment, according to ONS data.

The claimant count, which includes people on jobseeker’s allowance and the unemployment element of universal credit, increased by 9,200 last month to 837,800, the highest for more than three years.

The east of England saw the biggest rise in unemployment, with 17,000 more people recorded as having no job. Second was the south-east, with 14,000 more people “economically inactive.”

Increases in unemployment stand at 7,000 for London, 5,000 for Scotland, 5,000 for Yorkshire & Humber, 3,000 for Wales and 1,000 for the south-west of England.

The east Midlands saw no change, while there were drops in unemployment numbers in the north-east, the west Midlands and the north-west of England.

The number of people in work rose by 168,000 to a record high of 32.2 million, though the number of self-employed workers fell for the second successive quarter, down by 27,000 to 4.78 million.

Average earnings increased by 2.8 per cent in the year to January, a rise of 0.1 per cent on the previous month and the highest since September 2015. The figure is 0.6 per cent higher than a year ago, but earnings are still growing more slowly than inflation.

ONS statistician Matt Hughes said: “Total earnings growth continues to nudge upwards in cash terms. However, earnings are still failing to outpace inflation.”

Shadow work & pensions secretary Margaret Greenwood said in response to the ONS figures: “Many people are struggling with low pay and insecure work and the rise in unemployment is further bad news.

“With eight million people in working households living in poverty and the cost of basic essentials remaining high, the Spring Statement was a missed opportunity for the government to take the urgent action needed.

“The government has also failed to close the employment gap faced by women, disabled people and BAME groups who have too often borne the brunt of austerity cuts.”