Unemployment has fallen for the fourth month in a row and more jobs are being created, especially for people over the age of 65, new figures showed on Wednesday.
The jobless total fell by 65,000 to 2.58 million in the quarter to May, the lowest for almost a year, while the number of people in employment increased by 181,000 to just under 30 million, the highest for almost four years.
Despite the dip in unemployment the numbers claiming jobseeker's allowance jumped by 6,100 last month to 1.6 million, including an increase of 8,000 among women to 530,700, the highest figure for 17 years.
Despite the dip in overall unemployment the number of long-term unemployed people is up, as are those claiming JSA
The Office for National Statistics said the increase among women was likely to have been affected by a change in eligibility rules for lone parent income support from May.
The biggest falls in unemployment, and increase in work, was in London, suggesting that the Olympic Games is having an impact on the figures.
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General Secretary of Unison Dave Prentis said the "Olympic effect" had distorted the figures.
“The Olympic effect may give the impression of a recovery, but it is a mirage. The number of long-term unemployed is still rising, and huge numbers of women and young people are still struggling to find work."
The TUC's Brendan Barber said the only people not "sharing in the good news" were the young. "Long-term youth joblessness is up by 18,000 on the quarter to reach 421,000."