More forced into part-time jobs

The recession has led many people to take part-time jobs

The recession has forced almost a million people to take a part-time job because they cannot find full-time work, official figures have shown.

The Office for National Statistics said that in the three months to May 927,000 people said they were working part time because could not find a full-time job.

The figure is a third more than a year ago and is the highest number since the ONS began collating the data in 1992.

The TUC said these people were "the masked tragedies of the recession".

"These people won't be showing up in the spiralling unemployment figures but the economic slowdown and their subsequent move into part time work will have forced many of these families to rein in their spending dramatically," said TUC general secretary Brendan Barber

"While it's better for these million people to be in a job than have no job at all, many will have downshifted and will be doing the same jobs that they once did full time, but for a fraction of the pay," he added.

Many firms are asking staff to reduce their hours as the recession bites.

British Airways has asked many of its staff to work part-time or take unpaid leave.

The ONS said that 12.5% of all part-time workers were unwillingly working fewer hours.

The percentage fell below 8% in the early years of this decade, but it is now almost as high as the recession in the early 1990s when the rate reached 14%.

UK unemployment rose by a record 281,000 to 2.38 million in the three months to May, the ONS said last week.

The jobless rate increased to 7.6%, the highest in more than 10 years.

The number of people claiming unemployment benefit increased by 23,800 in June to 1.56 million, which was less than analysts had forecast.

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Some of your comments about this story:

Gas engineer - highly qualified but unable to find more than 30 hrs a month. Claiming jobseekers which I never thought I would ever have to do. I`m 56 and feel redundant. The future is grim.
S. Lavin, Edgware, UK

I took a part-time job in my field to keep up my skills, build connections and to supplement my finances. I still have time to do interviews and continue my search for a full time job. No I'm not happy with the situation but you do what you have to until you find what you need.
Susan, Pittsburgh, USA

I've got two part time jobs and am earning 30% more now than when I had a full time job. My advice would be to contact companies directly asking about part time vacancies rather than look for adverts for part time positions as I don't think many of them are being advertised.
Richard, London, UK

I have just come off the unemployment register because I have got a part time job doing two days per week 86 miles from home. Its only a temporary position but I will be taking home a little more than I would get on the dole. I had been unemployed since the end of February but needed to get back to work for the sake of my sanity. I know many people who are working less hours than they used to and they won't appear in dole figures.
Steven, Rowley Regis, UK

I am looking for full or part time work, permanent or contract. I have a masters degree and 20 years experience and I can't even get a response to the jobs I apply for. I have been self employed but my business is now so quiet I have to look for employment. I can't claim job seekers allowance as I haven't paid class 1 NI and have savings - so I don't appear on the statistics either.
Paula, Devon, UK