London, Sep 16 - The number of people out of work in Britain has risen to a 14-year-high to hit 2.47 million, the Office for National Statistics said Wednesday.

Joblessness increased by 210,000 to 2.47 million in the three months to July, taking the rate of unemployment to 7.9 percent.

Claims for the government-funded unemployment benefit payments in August grew by 24,400 from July to 1.61 million, the highest since May 1997, when the Labour Party came to power in Britain.

The number of 16- to 24-year-olds who are out of work rose from 928,000 to 947,000, edging closer to the one million landmark adding to fears of a new 'lost generation' of young people.

Opposition Conservative Party leader David Cameron said that unemployment approaching 2.5 million was 'extremely depressing'.

'What we need to do is make sure our welfare system is working in every way it can, to help people get jobs, to help people get back into work, to give them the training that they need,' he said.