The number of unemployed people who have been out of work for 12 months or more has gone down from one in three to one in seven over the past 10 years, according to new figures from national statistics agency CBS.

In total, nearly 350,000 people were officially jobless in the second quarter of this year, and that is down 50% on 10 years ago.

And the number of people out of work for more than a year has fallen from 240,000 to 47,000, the CBS said.

People who are out of work for more than a year are more likely to be over the age of 45. They are also more likely to be better educated. Three in 10 of those without work for more than a year had gone to college or university, compared with 20% in 2013.

Although the percentage of people in the general population with a degree has also increased, this does not explain the complete difference, the CBS said.