The number of Britons claiming jobless benefits rose in May, ending two months of declines.
But the total of people in employment has hit a three-year high, mixed official data revealed today.
The number of people registered for unemployment benefits in recession-hit Britain climbed by 8,100 in May to reach 1.6 million, the Office for National Statistics said.
It added that in the three months to April the number of employed people rose by 166,000 to 29.28 million.
This was the highest level since the start of 2009, as the private sector helped to offset government cuts to public sector jobs.
The number of people employed in the private sector increased by 205,000 to reach 23.38 million, while those employed in the public sector fell by 39,000 to 5.9 million - the lowest figure for nine years.
The statistics office added that Britain's unemployment rate stands at 8.2%.
