Unemployment in the UK declined by 49,000 to 2.46m in the three months to June, according to the Office for National Statistics.

This is the second consecutive month that jobless number has fallen, with analysts describing the figures as positive news for the UK jobs market.

The claimant count for those seeking unemployment benefit also fell by 3,800 in July to 1.46 million.

However, the Chartered Institute of Personal and Development recently warned that the employment market would stall as the government's widespread cuts are felt in the public sector.

“Overall, these figures were positive and better-than-expected. Employment is higher while unemployment and inactivity are both lower. However, the number of part-time workers rose to its highest level since records began, and the number of people unemployed for more than 12 months increased to a level not seen since 1997," said David Kern, chief economist at the British Chambers of Commerce.

“While recent labour market trends are welcome, it is important to bear in mind that we have not yet seen the negative impact on jobs that will result from the tough measures announced in the Budget."