Unemployment has risen for the first time in almost a year, new figures have revealed.

The UK jobless total jumped by 21,000 to 1.7m between December and February – the first rise since last summer.

The number of people claiming unemployment-related benefits increased by 6,700 in March to 732,100, the first monthly rise since last August.

The monthly claimant count in Huddersfield fell by 20 to 1,760 in March while the total for Colne Valley was down by five to 1,055.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) also reported that employment increased by 20,000 in the latest quarter to 31.4m, the smallest rise for almost a year. However, unemployment in Yorkshire and Humber rose by about 4,000 to 169,000 during the quarter.

There were 14.6m women in work, down by 40,000 on the previous three months and the first fall since the autumn of 2012. The quarterly reduction in women’s employment was the biggest for five years. Male employment was almost 16.8m, the highest since records began in 1971.

Some 8.8m people were classed as economically inactive, including those on long- term sick leave, looking after a relative or who have given up looking for work – 121,000 fewer than a year ago and the lowest since mid-2003.