The UK unemployment rate has risen to 1.971 million, its highest level since 1997, which could interest those with business insurance.
Figures produced by the Office for National Statistics show an additional 146,000 people were out of work in the period from October to December last year.
The number claiming unemployment benefit increased by 73,900 last month, reaching a ten-year high, which could affect business insurance holders.
Brendan Barber, the general secretary of the Trades Union Congress, claims this is "another set of dreadful figures".
He calls on the authorities to introduce a short-time working subsidy to help business insurance holders avoid making redundancies.
Mr Barber states: "The government must act as boldly on unemployment as they are on the banking sector. In these tough times, people need to know government is on their side."
In addition, he says benefit and redundancy pay needs to be increased to provide a greater level of security for those who lose their jobs.
