Middle-aged women in Britain are the hardest hit by the poor economy and government spending cuts, the Guardian newspaper reported. It said data from the House of Commons Library extracted by the opposition Labour party, showed that unemployment among women aged 50 to 64 has risen by 39 percent in the past two years, compared to a 5 percent rise among over-16s. It said 153,000 women aged between 50 and 64 were jobless in the period December 2011 to February this year - the highest figure since the Office for National Statistics started producing such figures in 1992. \"Women in their 50s and 60s have seen the steepest increases in unemployment, the biggest assault on their pensions, and at the same time they are still being stretched in all directions, looking after their children and grandchildren, and caring for elderly relatives too,” Yvette Cooper, the shadow home secretary and shadow minister for women and equalities, was quoted as saying. Unemployment among men in the same age range fell by 1 percent in 2011 while it rose by 16 percent among women. Also, a third more alleged age discrimination claims were filed to tribunals last year. It is a combination of “ageism” and “sexism”, the article said. Women already battling gender discrimination in the workplace – where they are paid less than men and hold fewer top positions – are also the hardest-hit by age discrimination, the report said.