The unemployment rate in Milton Keynes has risen sharply after falling for four months running.
Official statistics have revealed that the number of working-age people claiming jobseeker's allowance rose to 5 per cent in January.
This means the rate has returned to the 14-year high reached in August last year.
It is a rise of 0.5 per cent since December.
A total of 7,539 people claimed jobseeker's allowance in January, 719 more than the month before.
The rate is 1.3 per cent higher than a year ago, in January 2009, when 5,387 people claimed jobseeker's allowance.
The regional average also rose in January by 0.2 per cent, reaching 3.2 per cent, after staying steady since September.
The national rate rose to 4.3 per cent, up by 0.2 per cent since December.