UK employment at record high as more pensioners stay in work The number of Britons claiming jobless benefits fell by 8,600 to the lowest level in two years in May, the Office for National Statistics said on Wednesday, its seventh consecutive drop, and more than analysts forecasts for a drop of 5,000. The number of people without a job, based on the wider ILO measure, fell by 5,000 to 2.51m in the three months to April. The jobless rate held steady at 7.8pc, as expected. Wednesday's data also showed that more stay-at-home mums were forced to seek work during the quarter. While the number of men aged between 16 and 64 who dropped out of the workforce increased by 63,000, the number women in this age group classed as "economically inactive" because they were looking after the family or home fell by 33,000. Britain's labour market has proved resilient despite the downturn of the past few years, helped by the willingness of workers to accept below inflation wage growth. A recent survey showed that manufacturing firms began hiring for the first time in four months in May, as the recent upturn in production encouraged job creation. Average weekly earnings grew by 1.3pc in the three months through April, its fastest pace so far this year but still around half the rate of consumer price inflation, at 2.4pc. In April alone earnings rose 3.3pc. However, analysts said this reflected delayed bonus payments until the higher rate income tax cut came into effect in April, rather than a sudden jump in wage growth. "The strong rebound in annual pay growth in April is not quite as good as it looks," said Vicky Redwood at Capital Economics. Given that it probably just reflects high earners delaying bonuses until after April's cut in the additional rate of income tax. Further falls in real pay look likely for the next year or so, suggesting that it will be a struggle for any consumer recovery to gain traction. Excluding bonuses, pay growth was 0.9pc in the three months to April and 1.3pc percent in the month of April alone.