UK jobless claims soar by nearly 70% in April

Number claiming unemployment benefits reaches almost 2.1 million

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The number of people claiming unemployment benefits increased by the most since records began in April to reach almost 2.1 million, according to official figures capturing the onset of the coronavirus crisis.

In a reflection of mounting job losses across the country, the Office for National Statistics said about 856,500 people signed up for universal credit and jobseeker's allowance benefits in April, driving up the overall UK claimant count by 69% in a single month.