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date: 11 August 2010

embargo: For immediate release

Warning signs for older workers despite encouraging unemployment figures

Commenting on the latest unemployment figures published today (Wednesday), TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said:

'These encouraging figures reflect the UK's mini economic revival in the first half of 2010 before the Government's cuts kicked in.

'But there are strong warning signs amongst this positive data. The number of older people in work actually fell by 11,000 despite overall employment rising by 184,000. Long-term unemployment for 50-64 year olds is also increasing at a much sharper rate than for 25-49 year olds.

'With the Government pressing ahead with deep spending cuts, this could be the last we see of an economic revival for some time, as the cuts choke off growth and set unemployment rising again.'

NOTES TO EDITORS:

- The latest labour market statistics are available at www.statistics.gov.uk/pdfdir/lmsuk0810.pdf

- All TUC press releases can be found at www.tuc.org.uk

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Contacts:

Media enquiries:
Rob Holdsworth T: 020 7467 1372 M: 07717 531150 E: rholdsworth@tuc.org.uk

Press release (300 words) issued 11 Aug 2010