DHAKA: The UK jobless rate held steady at a near 11-year low of 4.9% in the three months to August, figures show.

Unemployment saw a “small” rise of 10,000 to 1.66 million, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said, reports the BBC.

“These figures show that employment continued to grow over the summer and vacancies remain at high levels, suggesting continuing confidence in the economy,” the ONS said.

Average weekly earnings grew by 2.3%, a slight fall from the previous month.

Businesses cautiously welcomed the employment figures, but said more was needed to help boost workers' pay as inflation starts to rise.

The CBI business group called the pay growth “lackluster”, saying it underlined the need for a “laser-like” focus on making companies more productive.

With the number of self-employed workers increasing by 273,000 to 4.79 million - 15% of all people in work - more should also be done to guarantee their pensions, mortgages and income protection, the Federation of Small Businesses said.

The total number of people in jobs remained at a record high of 31.8 million, the ONS figures showed.

BDST: 1934 HRS, OCT 19, 2016
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