Britain under pressure after sharp rise in welfare claims

THE sharpest rise in British jobless claims in over two years is adding pressure on the government to boost the faltering economy at a time when the country struggles to regain confidence after riots hit major cities.

The number of people claiming jobless benefit rose by 37,100 last month, the Office for National Statistics said yesterday, the largest jump since May 2009.

Some of the rise was still due to a change in benefit rules, though this could not explain all of the increase, the office said.