Almost a quarter of Americans in the prime of their working lives are out of a job - and millions have given up trying completely, new figures show.

Data published by the Senate Budget Committee revealed the extent of unemployment in the United States, saying that 28.9million US citizens aged 25-54 are out of a job - 23.2 per cent of the total.

The information, published by Republican lawmakers, show a 3.5million increase compared to 2007.

Stark: The stats, from Republicans on the Senate Budget Committee, show widespread joblessness in the US

The rate differs from the Department of Labor's official unemployment figure of 6.1per cent because the Budget Committee figures also include people who have been unemployed so long they no longer count as part of the 'labor force' used to calculate the regular rate.

A release under the name of Jeff Sessions, an Alabama senator, said the figures show 'deep, profound and pervasive' problems in the U.S. economy.

The figures cut against the regular unemployment figures, which have been steadily falling since a high of 10 per cent in 2010.

Unemployment: The statistics cut against recent improving unemployment statistics. Pictured are would-be workers in New York queuing for jobs

He said: 'Nearly one-quarter of this group - 28.9 million people, or 23.2 percent of the total - is not currently employed.

'They either became so discouraged that they left the labor force entirely, or they are in the labor force but unemployed. This group of non-employed individuals is more than 3.5 million larger than before the recession began in 2007.'

'Those attempting to minimize the startling figures about America’s vanishing workforce — workplace participation overall is near a four-decade low — will say an aging population is to blame.'

'But in fact, while the workforce overall has shrunk nearly 10 million since 2009, the cohort of workers in the labor force ages 55 to 64 has actually increased over that same period, with many delaying retirement due to poor economic conditions.'

'In fact, over two-thirds of all labor force dropouts since that time have been under the age of 55.