UK unemployment levels have continued to climb by 28,000 during the three months to January 2012, with the final figure standing at 2.67 million for the quarter.

According to figures released by the Office for National Statistics, the unemployment rate was up 0.1% on the previous quarter, taking it to 8.4% in January – the highest rate since 1995. However, during the same time frame, the number of people in work rose by 9,000 to 29.1 million.

For those aged between 16 and 64 years old, the employment rate remained unchanged on the previous quarter, staying at 70.3%. The three-month period also saw a 1.4% rise in total pay, including bonuses – a drop of 0.5% on the quarterly period to December 2011.

Youth unemployment levels reached over a million (1.04 million), taking the rate to 22.5%, and the total number of unemployed women stood at 1.13 million throughout the three months – rising by 22,000.

Increasing numbers of people went into part-time work in the quarter (60,000), which takes the total number to 6.6 million, and a drop of 52,000 individuals who are self-employed meant just over four million people worked for themselves during the time.