BRITAIN'S unemployment level has soared to its highest level for four years, according to official figures.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures show nearly 830,000 workers have been dropped from UK payrolls since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.

Unemployment reached 5 per cent for the first time since 2016 in the three months to November after 202,000 people lost their jobs.

Figures for December also showed there were 828,000 fewer Britons on company payrolls since before the crisis struck last February as the pandemic has hammered the jobs market.

This comes despite Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s move to extend the furlough scheme until April.

ONS head of economic statistics Sam Beckett said: “In the three months to November, on our survey data, the employment rate fell sharply again, while the unemployment rate rose to hit 5% for the first time in over four years.

“The number of people saying they had been made redundant in the previous three months remains at a record high.

“Meanwhile, vacancies, which were rising in summer and early autumn, have been falling in the last couple of months.”

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Minister for employment Mims Davies said: “These figures show many people are still facing difficult times, but our support is helping keep millions of workers on payrolls across the country.

“Whilst there is light at the end of the tunnel with jabs already in the arms of millions and the vaccine rollout gathering pace, our Plan for Jobs is helping to protect and support livelihoods, as well as create new opportunities for those who need them.

“The number of vacancies has risen for six consecutive months, our Kickstart scheme for young people has already created more than 120,000 job placements and we have provided over £280 billion to protect incomes and livelihoods as we battle the pandemic.”