British firms start hiring again on hopes vaccines will end lockdowns for good        

The number of employees recruited rose 68,000 in February as sustained furlough payments helped fuel recovery

Before Covid: Shoppers crowd London's Oxford St on the 'Black Friday' discount day in the lead-up to Christmas 2019. File picture

UK companies have started hiring in anticipation of an end to the coronavirus lockdowns, holding back the overall rate of unemployment.

The number of employees recruited rose 68,000 in February, the third consecutive monthly increase, the UK's Office for National Statistics (ONS) said, and job vacancies from December to February increased by 8% to a total of 601,000.