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The UK jobless rate increased in the fourth quarter, data from the Office for National Statistics showed Wednesday.
The ILO unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage points to 4.4 percent in three months to December. In the same period of last year, the rate was 4.8 percent.
The rate was forecast to remain unchanged at 4.3 percent.
The number of unemployed rose by 46,000 from the September quarter to 1.47 million.
At the same time, the employment rate rose to 75.2 percent from 74.6 percent a year ago. There were 32.15 million people in work.
Average earnings including and excluding bonuses grew 2.5 percent each on a yearly basis in three months ended December.
In January, the claimant count rate fell to 2.3 percent from 2.4 percent in December. The number of people claiming unemployment benefits decreased by 7,200 in January.
