Britain's unemployment rate stands at 4.9 pct in February-April

LONDON, June 18 (Xinhua) -- Britain's unemployment rate for people aged 16 and over was estimated at 4.9 percent in the three months to April, according to data released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) on Thursday.

The rate was 0.3 percentage points higher than a year earlier, but 0.3 percentage points lower than in the previous quarter, the ONS said.

Despite the slight quarterly decline, business groups and labor market experts warned that unemployment could rise in the coming months as employers remain cautious about hiring.

"While unemployment fell slightly to 4.9 percent, the expectation is that it will rise as businesses remain cautious about hiring," said Patrick Milnes, head of policy for people and work at the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC).

Milnes noted that the BCC expects the unemployment rate to reach 5.2 percent by the end of the year, as businesses put recruitment plans on hold amid uncertainty over rising costs, global economic headwinds and domestic policy changes.

Stephen Evans, chief executive of the Learning and Work Institute, also pointed to what he described as "worrying signs" in the labor market.

Noting that one in three young people not in full-time education are also out of work, Evans called for urgent action to support those who are not in education, employment or training. Enditem