Will today's poor jobs figures hit consumer demand?
The economic recovery depends on consumers buying things, which is what they have been doing. But new data suggests that could change.
When is a job not a job?
Experts have wondered how the number of people in work remains high while the economy slumps - part of the answer "zero hours" contracts.
An 'aspirational Budget' - but what about the jobless?
The Chancellor said his budget was for people "who aspire to work hard and get on" - but what about those who can't get a job?
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Will today's poor jobs figures hit consumer demand?
The economic recovery depends on consumers buying things, which is what they have been doing. But new data suggests that could change.
Read the full storyONS: 900,000 out of work for more than a year
New figures out today show that 900,000 people have been out of work for more than a year - an 8,000 increase on the three months to November.
But the number of people classed as economically inactive - which includes students, people on long-term sick leave and those who have given up looking for work - fell by 57,000 to 8.95 million.
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Youth unemployment rises to just below one million
New figures out today show that the number of unemployed people aged 16 to 24 remains just below the million mark, having increased by 20,000 to 979,000.
ONS: Wages growing at slowest rate since 2009
Average earnings increased by 0.8% in the year to February - this was 0.4% down on the previous month and marks the lowest growth rate since the end of 2009.
ONS: Number of Jobseekers on benefits fell by 7,000
The number of people claiming jobseeker's allowance last month fell by 7,000 to 1.53 million, according to official figures out today.
ONS: Unemployment up by 70K in three months to Feb
Unemployment increased by 70,000 between December and February to 2.56 million, official figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed today.
The total is the worst since last summer, giving the UK a jobless rate of 7.9%.
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'Zero hour' contracts 'suit employees and business'
David Collingwood, of The Co-operative Funeralcare told ITV News around 20 percent of the company's employees work on 'zero-hour' contracts. He says the contracts suit both the employees and the needs of the business.
'Zero hours' offers employment to 200,000 in the UK
Kevin Green, of the Employment and Recruitment Confederation, says there is a positive side to 'zero hour' contracts.
He told ITV News: "Zero hours isn't all about the downside, actually, what you could be saying is this is keeping 200,000 people in work , who may not have been in work if it wasn't for these types of contracts."
Read Laura Kuenssberg's blog 'When is a job not a job?' here
'Zero hour' contracts can lead unpredictable working
Speaking to Business Editor Laura Kuenssberg, one employee currently on a 'Zero hours' contract told her that in one month she has had 15 shifts, in others she has had one and at times she has been sent home because there isn't a position available.
She said: "Sometimes they will ask you to wait around for an hour to see if there are any positions available and if there's not, you go home and that is a day's wage lost."
She added that if she could get another job she would leave the 'zero hours' contract in exchange for more stability.
'Zero hours' contracts leaving workers without security
ITV News has revealed a record number of workers are in jobs which have no guarantee of regular hours, regular pay, or any job security.
So-called "zero hours" contracts take people off the unemployment register, but they allow businesses, many of them big names, to summon or send home staff, often those in the lowest paid jobs, without warning.
Read: Well known companies who use 'zero hours' contracts
ITV News Business Editor, Laura Kuenssberg, has our exclusive report.
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