Unemployment: Your stories

UK unemployment has risen to 1.97 million between October and December, the highest level since 1997, figures show.

The jobless number climbed 146,000 for the three-month period, according to data from the Office for National Statistics.

Here, a father and his daughter talk about their own experiences of finding themselves without work in a recession - one in the 1990s, the other today.

Claire Bridger, 28, is unemployed for the first time since 2000

The company I have been loyal to for five years went into administration on payday at the end of January, consequently, no pay and no redundancy.

I have now done the walk of shame to the job centre and found it utterly demoralising.

The only reason I have been [to the job centre] is to ensure my NI stamps are paid.

I would quite happily not claim jobseeker's allowance as it would be a greater incentive to find a job if I were really struggling financially.

I have since applied for 219 positions via job websites. I have also paid to have my CV rewritten as my skills are diverse (but my CV is industry-tailored) and I am finding that agencies are not recognising my transferrable skills.

I'm just hoping I get a job soon for the sake of my sanity and bank balance!

Ben Bridger was in the Royal Navy from 1951 to 1993

I was in the Royal Navy from 1951 until 1993.

I went to sign on and they were as useful as chocolate in front of the fire.

I went down there twice and I didn't bother again.

I went to a job club. It was run by the Roman Catholic church, I believe. It allowed you use of the telephone, photocopier and so on.

I didn't really know what I wanted to do. The training I had in the navy meant I could take something on and make a go of it.

I was not unemployed for very long as I got a job as a security officer. People who are looking for jobs now want to be top dogs on vast amounts of money.

I blame it all on schools and parents and their lack of discipline.

I can't really advise my daughter because I've never been there, I was unemployed for a short time.

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