Unemployment levels in Britain have risen for a seventh month in a row as job vacancies fell, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said in London. The number of unemployed rose by 12,000 to 1.42 million in the quarter to August, while those claiming unemployment benefits rose 1,600 to 866,200 in August.

Meanwhile, average job vacancies in the three months to August fell 7,400 to 631,700.

However, quarterly unemployment levels were flat at 4.7 percent- the lowest level for 30 years.

Jobless rates have been inching up this year as the consumer spending slowdown has put pressure on retailers and other service sector firms. The rates have been rising every month this year, the longest continuous stretch for 13 years, the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) reported on Wednesday.

However, employment levels still remain higher than at any time since comparable records began in 1971.

In the three months to the end of July, 28.73 million people were in work - 315,000 people more than at the same time last year- equivalent to 74.8 percent of the working age population.

Economists said the figures showed the labor market was stabilizing after signs of weakness earlier this year.

"The data were firmer overall than expected," said Howard Archer, chief British economist at Global Insight.

Source: Xinhua