Unemployment

Chancellor George Osborne reinforces his plans for lower spending – and warns that only further austerity measures can pay for tax cuts and better job prospects.

As unemployment falls to 7.4 per cent, near the 7 per cent threshold the Bank of England governor said would lead to a cut in rates, Faisal Islam looks at the figures – and the new plastic banknotes.

According to the latest figures from the Office of National Statistics, Britain is almost half a million new jobs up on last year. But what is everybody doing?

What bright ideas would light up the UK economy for you? George Osborne has set out his plan for economic recovery, but Channel 4 News wanted to find out what people on the street would like to see.

Shadow work and pensions secretary Rachel Reeves says Labour would not consider scrapping out-of-work benefits for people under 25, after it was suggested by the IPPR think tank.

The Bank of England raises its growth forecast for the economy, but says interest rates will not automatically rise if unemployment falls faster than previously predicted.

The traditional family model used to be thought of as the building block of society. But now a report finds those families make up a third of all those with children who live in poverty.

The government is cracking down on employers who advertise unpaid intern posts and is issuing new pay guidance for young people. But will it be enough to stop young people working for free?

As youth unemployment in Italy reaches a new all-time high of 40.1 per cent, our newest “Austerity Kid”, Agata Scionti, 26, tells Channel 4 News that young Italians “are unable to dream any more”.

Penalising benefit claimants who are not deemed to be doing enough to find work is leaving people without any money to live on, according to research from the Citizens Advice Bureau.

Ireland’s seventh austerity budget set out 2.5bn euros of cuts and taxes, including cuts to benefits for under 25s. But our Austerity Kid in Dublin says many are just relieved it wasn’t worse.

After George Osborne unveils plans to make long term unemployed people carry out community service, Home Affairs Correspondent Andy Davies visits Ebbw Vale to find out what people there think.