Data released from the Office for National Statistics in the UK showed that the number of people seeking unemployment benefits fell by 21,000 in June. The drop is the fastest decline in three years. Additional data from the ONS showed that joblessness in the UK has fallen 57,000 since December, bringing the unemployment rate in June to 7.8 percent. While policymakers expressed optimism for recovery, June?s modest gains were underscored by record levels of long-term unemployment.
See "UK unemployment falls 57,000 to 2.51m, official data shows", Jennifer Rankin, Guardian Unlimited (UK), July 16, 2013