Unemployment levels in Britain could be as high as 6.3million if a different measuring stick was used, a new TUC report reveals.

British jobless figure ‘as high as 6.3million’
The official total is 2.68million – but that figure could be a lot higher (Picture: PA)

The figure, which is more than  twice the official total of 2.68million, includes people in part-time jobs, because they cannot find full-time work, and recent redundancies.

And, if the American counting system was used, it would mean unemployment would be at its highest since the early 1990s.

Under-employment, which counts those doing temporary or part-time jobs because they cannot find permanent, full-time work, has risen to a record 1.9million, according to the research by the TUC.

The rest of the figure is made up of people who have not been looking for work for at least four weeks because of a lack of jobs, the so-called âeconomically inactiveâ.

TUC general secretary Brendan Barber said: âThe headline unemployment figures are bad enough, but the true scale is even worse.

âTackling thisÂ  crisis shouldÂ  be the governmentâs No.1 priority.

âWhen ministers say there are plenty of jobs out there, they are ignoring the sheer numbers of people looking for work, as well as the suitability andÂ  location of the jobs available.â

However, a Department for Work and Pensions spokesman said: âWe firmly believe that being in some form of employment is better than being out of work.

âThe current climate is tough for jobseekers, but we also want people to know there are around 463,000 vacancies in the economy, with Jobcentre Plus adding on average 10,000 jobs to its books every working day.â