IMO, yes is true but to a lesser-extent than headlines may suggest! But that is versus expectations. The actual level remains weak/poor overall albeit less severe than elsewhere in Europe. IMO again, it is the dreadful labour market and the social unrest that goes with it that is the critical issue within Europe. Politicians underestimate this at their peril.

I can confirm that the jobcentre people seem determined to get you off their books as opposed to into a job, I imagine that the underemployed and those dropping out of the job market numbers are much higher than the official unemployment figures

while im on jobcentre stories- last week overheard this gem

JC+ staff-sir youve been unemployed since 2009
20 something lad-well yeah kind of
JC-so youve had work?
lad-erm no i mean ive just not claimed all that time
JC-ok well im going to put you forward for some voluntary work
lad-well im not sure, ive got a painful eye
JC- and you are telling me this because?
lad- its been really bad earlier this week
JC- and has the doctor signed you off
lad-no but im just telling you like
JC-ok, how would you feel about kitchen work
lad- errm no, no way, basically ive got this thyroid problem and basically if I work in a kitchen , basically Ill overheat and Ill die!

and so it went on…..

to be fair most of the jobseekers there do seem quite desperate to get work and quite frustrated and embittered by it all

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-22536437

yeah its all rosy

the fall in jobseekers claims doesnt surprse me either the staff seem determined to cut the massive 70quid a week, one wonders wtf that leaves a lot of unemployed people- destitute, turning to crime, cash in hand work?

Kimbers – what you are seeing reflects what the Bank of England said this morning. Any recovery is “weak and uneven.” That’s the bad news. The good news, is that today’s Inflation Report is the first time since 2007 that the BoE is painting a more optimistic outlook.

I have been criticised in the past for being too negative about our Governor and his/the BoE’s forecasting record. So let’s just hope that their guarded optimism today is warranted this time.

The rest of the news from Europe today hardly calls for much celebration though. 🙁

Its not the headline unemployment figures themselves that are the issue here. Its the nature of the ‘jobs’ that are being created.

There has been a huge rise in the use of zero hours contracts, which mean you’re not officially ’employed’ (so off the all-important figures), yet you’re not sure you’ll actually get any work, or income, as the responsibilities of an employer now no longer need to extend to this

Most of the actual contracted jobs created are only part time. I think the last estimates of people ‘underemployed’ (part time but wanting, no needing, full-time work) are at least another 1.5 million

Bearing in mind that on these new ‘jobs’ there is zero security, and you can’t get credit, or qualify for mortgages or personal loans or overdrafts, as you’ve no guaranteed income. So how on earth are these new ’employees’ going to contribute to any kind of economic growth? Its utterly ridiculous to imagine they will.

Mind you, rising unemployment can be a good thing. An opportunity even

Recession is a good time to boost profits, says Cameron aide

Every cloud, eh?