PEOPLE are increasingly looking for extra working hours amid a major rise in under-employment, a report has warned.

The TUC said 3.4 million people were under employed, an increase of almost 100,000 over the last two years, and more than a million higher than before the recession.

Unemployment has fallen by 400,000 since 2012, but the TUC said since the coalition came to power in 2010, under-employment has increased by 432,000 and shows little sign of slowing.

Frances O'Grady, TUC general secretary, said: "With more jobs being created, you'd expect that under-employment would be on the wane, but sadly with part-time, temporary, low-paid jobs often the only work people can get, under employment remains stubbornly high and is still rising.

"With no let up in their financial woes in sight, people are understandably looking to take on more hours just to keep the wolf from the door.

"Without a decent pay rise and the creation of more permanent, secure jobs, under-employment is unlikely to fall any time soon."