THE NUMBER of people out of work in the North broke the 50,000 mark in June as unemployment soared for the 16th month in a row, according to government figures.

Seasonally adjusted data shows the unemployment rate in Northern Ireland rose during the period March to May to an estimated 6.3 per cent.

The jump in the unemployment rate in the North reflects a generally grim picture across the UK. The overall UK rate now stands at 7.6 per cent, the highest on record for over a decade.

In the three-month period to May, the number of people out of work in the UK jumped by an additional 281,000 to 2.38 million.

During the period there was a sharp decline in the overall number of people in employment in the North. Although the claimant count statistics reflect a modest increase of 1,600 people during June, analysis of the latest data shows that the Northern Ireland workforce shrunk by 14,000 people in the three months to May.

It is estimated that the total number of people in employment in the North has fallen by 51,000 over the year, which represents the largest annual decrease in the last 17 years.

In addition to the major decline in workforce numbers, there has also been a startling rise in the number of people described as being economically inactive.

Between the months of March and May 14,000 people joined the ranks of the economically inactive, which brings the total figure in the North to an estimated 586,000.

The working age economic inactivity rate for Northern Ireland now stands at 30 per cent – significantly higher than the UK average rate (20.9 per cent) and it is the highest of the 12 UK regions.

The North’s economy minister, Arlene Foster, said Northern Ireland was clearly “continuing to experience the negative effect of the global downturn”.