The employment rate in the UK continued to rise, accompanied by a fall in unemployment, according to the Office for National Statistics.

For October to December 2014, 73.2% of people aged from 16 to 64 were in work, up from 72.0% for a year earlier.

The latest figures come a day after the Prime Minister announced plans to shake up the welfare system by requiring young unemployed people to do unpaid community work in order to receive benefits.

Those between 18 and 21 who have been out of work, education or training (colloquially known as ‘NEETS’) for over six months will be paid a new type of jobseekers allowance only if they carry out 30 hours a week of community work alongside 10 hours of job hunting.