UK Employment Hits Record High

The number of people in work in the UK has reached a record high of 32.54 million, latest figures from the Office of National Statistics show.

Unemployment was flat, with a small increase of 8,000 between September and November for a total of 1.37 million.

"The share of the population in work is the highest on record," said David Freeman, ONS head of labour market.

"The share of the workforce looking for work and unable to find it remains at its lowest for over 40 years."

Average earnings excluding bonuses increased by 3.3% in the year to November, as wage rises continued to outpace inflation.