In Norfolk and Waveney, unemployment rose slightly from 20,540 in December to 21,574 last month – however the figure was still lower than the 22,333 out of work 12 months previously.

In Norwich it rose in the last month from 4,324 to 4,495, in South Norfolk it went from 1,513 to 1,612 and in Broadland it went from 1,336 to 1,450.

In Great Yarmouth the figure rose from 3,914 to 4,072, in Waveney it increased from 2,971 to 3,167 and in Breckland it went from 2,171 to 2,288.

In North Norfolk it rose from 1,479 to 1,619

Nationally, the number of people claiming jobseeker's allowance has fallen to a near two-year low after a huge increase in employment.

Almost 30 million people were in employment at the end of 2012, the highest since records began in 1971, while jobseeker's allowance claimants fell to a near two-year low.

But youth unemployment nationally increased by 11,000 – the highest rise for a year – and the number of people with more than one job increased by 41,000 to 1.1 million.

The Office for National Statistics also reported a continued cut in the real value of pay, with average earnings increasing by 1.4pc in the year to December, down by 0.1pc on the previous month. Regular pay, excluding bonuses, rose by 1.3pc, the lowest figure since the end of 2009.

Iain Duncan Smith, secretary of state for work and pensions, pointed to figures showing a 15,000 fall in the number of people out of work for over a year, to 879,000.

He said: 'The fall in long-term unemployment is particularly welcome and shows that the training and support we are offering is helping people move off benefits and into work. These figures show another big increase in full-time jobs, half a million more British people in work over the past year and more women in employment than ever before.

'The UK is now ahead of many of its international rivals when it comes to cutting unemployment and creating jobs which is so important as we compete in a global race.'