Jobless total fell 0.1% in the spring
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Unemployment fell by 34,000 in the three months to May 2010, but the number of those without a job for more than 12 months is at its highest since 1997.
Figures released by the Office of National Statistics last week show the unemployment rate for the three months to May down 0.1% at 7.8%, or 2.47 million people.
The number of individuals who have been unemployed for up to six months fell by 54,000 to reach 1.16 million.
But the number of people without a job for more than 12 months increased by 61,000 in the quarter to reach 787,000 - the highest figure recorded since the three months to March 1997.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development forecasts that the economy will shed some 300,000 more jobs by 2012 before job creation kicks in, resulting in peak unemployment of 9.5% - 2.95 million people - in 2012. This should fall back to 8% by 2015.
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