'Miserable Christmas' for many facing bleak job prospects
– Paul Kenny, General Secretary of the GMB unionWith unemployment stuck at two and a half million, a lot of families face a miserable Christmas without any hope of getting a job. It is definitely hurting but it's not working. We have been seeing further job losses in both the public and private sectors over the past two months and it is hard to see where the new jobs are going to come from with confidence at rock bottom. The Chancellor needs to use next month's autumn statement to kick-start the economy.
Scotland's jobless figure goes up despite UK fall
The UK figures for unemployment disguise a worrying picture in Scotland.
The jobs market: Britain's bumpy rollercoaster
Despite early signs of an improving economy many families may still face the worst blow that a struggling economy delivers to a household.