UK job losses hit decade-high
The harsh reality of job losses caused by the global health crisis were seen in numbers released by Britain Tuesday (August 11).
The number of people in work fell by 220,000 in the three months to June - the most since 2009.
That's according to figures released by the UK's Office for National Statistics - or ONS.
Self-employed workers took a major hit as their numbers fell by a record amount, while the amount of employees rose.
In a warning of a potentially bigger rise in job losses, separate tax data for July showed the number of staff on company payrolls had fallen by 730,000 since March.
Losses are expected to rise as Britain is due to close a job retention scheme which protects employees at the end of October.
British finance minister Rishi Sunak said the figures showed the government's support programs were working, but he warned job losses were inevitable.
The ONS said the unemployment rate surprisingly held at 3.9%.
Although that reflected more people who had given up looking for work, and were not considered unemployed as a result.
The number of people claiming universal credit - a benefit for the unemployed and those on low pay - rose to just under 2.7 million in July - a 117% leap from March.
Last week, the Bank of England warned there was more pain to come for British workers.
The central bank forecast the unemployment rate would rise to 7.5% at the end of this year.
