![UK jobless claims surge by record amount as pandemic hits](http://media.assettype.com/ajel-english%2Fimport%2F2020%2F05%2FUK-jobless-claims-surge-by-record-amount-as-pandemic-hits.jpeg?w=480&auto=format%2Ccompress&fit=max)
Unemployment claims in Britain jumped by a record amount in April to their highest level since the 1990s, underscoring the impact the COVID-19 pandemic is having on the economy, AP reported.
Jobless claims surged by 856,000 in April to 2.1 million, the highest since 1996 and an increase of 69% from the month before, the Office of National Statistics said Tuesday. The figures covered only the first weeks of the lockdown, said Jonathan Athow, deputy national statistician for economic statistics at the ONS.