The number of people out of work and claiming benefit fell 3,900 to 950,100 in August, according to the Office for National Statistics.

The July figure was revised down to show a drop of 1,000. Previously, the ONS said that it had risen to a four-year high..

The total unemployment level rose to 1.7m for the three month to July, up 93,000 on the three months to April and up 280,000 on a year earlier.