The number of people claiming jobless benefits in Britain has risen to the worst level since 2003 after the highest monthly increase in almost 15 years in February, the government said Wednesday.

The Office for National Statistics said the so-called claimant count jumped by 14,600 last month to 919,700, the biggest monthly rise since the end of 1992, when Britain was still emerging from recession.

The office said the monthly rise was caused by an increase in the number of women out of work.

The total number of unemployed, which includes people who are out of work but not receiving benefits, has increased by 109,000 over the past year, though that leaves the unemployment rate at 2.9 percent, the office said.