Unemployment Continues To Fall

The unemployment rate for July to September was 6% 0.3% lower than April to June and 1.6% lower than last year. There were 1.96m people unemployed, 115,000 fewer than April to June 2014 and 529,000 fewer than last year. The unemployment rate was highest in the North East at 9.2% and lowest in the South East at 4.6%. The economic inactivity rate was 22.2% (9.03m people) about the same as April to June (22.1%) and last year (22.3%). The inactivity rate was highest in Wales at 25.8% and lowest in the East of England at 19.4%.

Average weekly regular pay (excluding bonuses) was £455 per week before tax and other reductions and average total pay (including bonuses) was £481 per week. July to September average regular earnings increased 1.3% over the year and average total earnings were 1% higher than last year. The CPI increased by 1.2%.

The number of JSA claimants has fallen for 24 months in a row and in October was 20,400 down on September 2014 and 373,100 down on last year but is 153,300 higher than the pre-downturn low of 778,400 in February 2008. There were 4.11m people claiming key out of work benefits, 422,400 less than May 2013 and 984,100 less than the 5.10m of February 2010. The claimant count was highest in the North East at 4.7% and lowest in the South East at 1.6%.

There were 687,000 job vacancies in the period August to October 2014, up 22,000 from May to July and 136,000 on last year but 9,000 down on the pre-downturn peak of 696,000 for January to March 2008.

Unemployment Down In October

The unemployment rate fell to 7.8% in October, a fall of 0.2% on May to July. The employment rate (16-64) was 71.2% up 0.1% on May to July. The number of unemployed was 2.51m, down 82,000 on the three monthly comparison and 128,000 on the year. The inactivity rate was 22.6%, or an economically inactive population of 9.07m (16-64) up 60,000 on the three months previous but down 249,000 on last year. There were 489,000 job vacancies for September to November 2012 or 1.8 vacancies per 100 employee jobs. In terms of duration, 1.16m people had been unemployed for up to 6 months, 442,000 people had been unemployed for between 6 and 12 months and 904,000 had been unemployed for over 1 year and 449,000 people had been unemployed for over 2 years. Total hours worked amounted to 949m for August to October 2012 and average weekly hours worked were 32.1. Earnings or payment for work done before tax and other deductions averaged (incl. bonuses) £471/week total pay and £443/week regular pay. The number of employees reached 25.12m, the self-employed totalled 4.2m, unpaid family workers reached 111,000 and the number of people on government schemes totalled 171,000.

Unemployment Down 0.2% To 8%

The unemployment rate fell 0.2% to 8% between April and June 2012 leaving 2.56m people aged over 16 unemployed, down 46,000 on the quarter. The employment rate was 71%, up 0.4%. The number of full-time workers increased by 130,000 to 21.41m and part-time workers increased by 71,000 to 8.07m. The economic inactivity rate for 16-64 year olds was 22.6% the lowest figure since 1991.

Average total pay was £469/week in June 2012. Average regular pay was £442/week. Total hours worked in the economy was 934.7m/week or an average of 31.7 hours/week.

There were 472,000 job vacancies in the three months to July 2012, up 10,000 on the previous three months, or 1.8 job vacancies per 100 employee jobs.

Fall In Unemployment

Unemployment fell by 34,000 over the quarter to reach 2.47m but was up 92,000 on the year. The unemployment rate for the three months to May was 7.8%, down 0.1% on the quarter but up 0.3 points on the year. The number of long-term unemployed increased by 61,000 to reach 787,000. The inactivity rate was down 0.2 or 62,000 on the quarter to 21.3% leaving 8.10 million working age people inactive. The claimant count fell by 20,800 on the month and 100,100 on the year to 1.46m or 4.5%.

The employment rate to May 2010 was up 0.3 to 72.3% or 28.98m employed people, an increase of 160,000. It was 0.6 down on last year. The public sector employed 6.09m and the private sector 22.78m.

Vacancies increased by 10,000 to 486,000 over the quarter. The sector with the largest increase in vacancies was wholesale, retail and motor vehicle repairs with an increase of 11,000 on the quarter.

The earnings annual growth rate for total pay for the quarter to May was 2.7%. Average total pay was £453 per week. Regular pay was £428 per week on average. The growth rate for regular pay was 1.8%. The average total in the private sector was £453 and average regular £418 per week. In the public sector the average total pay was £453 and average regular pay was £461 per week.

There were 30.77m workforce jobs in March 2010 with administration and support services increasing by 90,000. Total hours worked in the three months to May 2010 amounted to 911.4m giving an average of 31.5 hours a week. Output per worker decreased by 1.4% in Q4 2009. Unit wage costs increased by 2.4% over the same period. Nine stoppages in May 2010 cost 13,000 working days and 722,00 working days were lost in 97 stoppages over the year.

Unemployment Rate At 8%

The ONS Labour Market Survey says that for December 2009 to February 2010 there were 2.5 million people unemployed and the unemployment rate was 8%. The employment rate was given as 72.1% or 28.82 million employed people. There were also 8.16 million economically inactive people equalling 21.5%. Pay including bonuses rose by 2.3% and pay excluding bonuses rose by 1.7%. Yorkshire and Humberside had the highest unemployment rate at 9.5%, the North East and the West Midlands both had 9.5%. The South East, South West and N. Ireland had the lowest with 6.4%. The figures compare with the 64.8% employment rate for July-September 2009 and the 9.6% unemployment rate for February 2010 that are the averages in the EU.

The 72.1% employment rate is the lowest it has been since October 1996. as the number of people in employment fell by 89,000 (F/T 59,000 and P/T 30,000). It was 74.9% for men and 69% for women. The number of unemployed increased by 43,000. The number unemployed for over 6 months fell by 46,000 to 1.22 million. The number of people unemployed for over 12 months increased by 89,000 to reach 726,000 the highest since July 1997. The 2.5 million unemployed people included 1.53 million unemployed men, up 23,000, and 970,000 unemployed women, up 20,000 since three months ending in November. The number of employed people was made up of 13.47 million men and 7.69 million women. Part-time workers totalled 7.67 million of which 1.88 million were men and 5.79 million people were women. The public sector employed 6.1 million people and the private sector 22.76 million people in December 2009.

There were 1.54 million people claiming Job Seeker's Allowance between February and March 2010. The count has fallen 4 out of the last 5 months. The inactivity rate is the highest it has been since October 2004. The number of inactive people was 110,000 which includes 71,000 students. Vacancies increased by 9,000 to 475,000. There were 30.75 million workforce jobs in December 2009. There were 30.75 million workforce jobs, down 119,000 over the quarter to December 2009. The largest decrease was in distribution, hotels and restaurants with 62,000 job losses. Most of the workforce jobs were in London and the South East, the least jobs in England were in the North East, in Wales and N.Ireland.

The annual growth rate for total earnings was 2.3% driven mainly by the financial sector's higher bonuses and a change in timing of payment of bonuses from January last year to February this year. Annual regular pay (excluding bonuses) was 1.7% in February up from 1.5% in the three months to January 2010. Average total pay was £443/week and average regular pay £428/week. In the private sector average total pay was £451/week and average regular pay £418/week. In the public sector average total pay was £462/week and average regular pay was £459/week. There were a total of 912.8 million hours worked in the quarter to February 2010. Average weekly hours were 31.7 hours.

Redundancies went down by 20,000 to 6.5/1000 employees. Labour disputes lost 3,000 working days in February 2010 and in the 12 months to February 440,000 working days were lost from 100 stoppages.

The 18-24 year old bracket increased by 14.1% over the year overall and by 39.9% for 6-12 months and 56.9% for over 12 months while up to 6 months fell by 4.8% over the year. Agriculture, forestry and fishing jobs decreased by 3.8% on the quarter and 3% on the year to February.

A Fall In The Number Of Unemployed And Claimants

The number of unemployed people fell for the first time since May 2008. There were 7,000 fewer people unemployed bringing the number down to 2.46m. The number unemployed for over 12 months grew by 29,000 over the quarter to 631,000, the highest since November 1997. The unemployment rate for September to November was unchanged at 7.8%. The claimant count fell for the second consecutive month to reach 1.61m, the largest monthly fall since April 2007.

There were 448,000 vacancies in the three months to December 2009. That is an increase of 16,000 on the previous three months but 80,000 fewer than a year earlier. There were 30.86m workforce jobs in September 2009. Construction saw the largest decrease in jobs. The inactivity rate was 21.2% for September to November 2009. The number of inactive people rose by 79,000 to 8.05m.

Total hours worked per week in the three months to November were 910.9m. Average weekly hours came to 31.5, up 0.2 from August 2009. Productivity was 3.1% lower in Q3 2009 than Q3 2008 and unit wage costs rose by 4.1% over the same period. Manufacturing unit wage costs increased by 1.8%.

Average regular pay rose by 1.1% on the previous year, but decreased 0.1 on the previous quarter. Average total pay in November was £451/week, an increase of 0.7%. Private sector average regular pay in November was £414/week and average total pay was £447/week. Public sector average regular pay £455/week, average total pay was £459/week.

In November 14 labour disputes cost the economy 36,000 working days. Over the year to November 90 stoppages meant 436,000 lost working days. The number of redundancies decreased by 31,000 to 182,000 in the three months to November on the previous quarter and 46,000 on the previous year.

Rise In Unemployment Slowest Since April 1998

The labour market statistics from the ONS show that unemployment was at 7.8% for the quarter from July to September and there were 2.46 million people unemployed. There were in total 21.1% of the working population economically inactive or 8 milion people. The working population totalled 28.93 million people, 21.26 million in full-time employment. There were 7.66 milion people in part-time employment.

Average earnings rose by 1.2% on last year including bonuses and 1.8% excluding bonuses. The claimant count was 1.64 million. It is the highest number of claimants since April 1997 but the smallest increase in the claiment count since April 1998. The number of vacancies was the lowest since records began in 2001 at 428,000. There were 31 million workforce jobs in June 2009, down 163,000. The biggest decreases were in business services and finance. Redundancies totalled 205,000, or 8.2% per 1000 employees.

The private sector accounted for 22.84 million employees and the public sector 6.04 million. By country of birth, 73.6% of UK born people of working age were in employment compared with 67.3% of non-UK born people. The number of UK born people in employment was 25.31 million and of non-UK born people it was 3.68 million.

The total hours worked per week were 910.7 million and the average weekly hours were 31.5. Labour disputes totalled 12 stoppages and 57,000 working days lost. Productivity was 3.9% lower in Q2 than last year while unit wage costs increased by 5.7% over the same period.

The south-east had the lowest unemployment rate in the UK at 6% and the west-midlands the highest at 10% due to a fall in the number of economically active people and an increase in unemployment.

Labour Market Statistics For August 2009

The unemployment rate for the three months to August 2009 was 7.9%, up 0.3% on the previous quarter and 2.1% on the year. There were 2.47 million people unemployed, up 88,000 on the previous quarter and 677,000 on the year. The employment rate was 72.6% for the UK and the total number of people in employment was 28.95 million, down 0.3% on the previous quarter and 1.8% on the year. A total of 904.5 hours was worked in the quarter, down 14.3 million.

There were 434,000 job vacancies in the quarter a decrease of 163,000 on last year. The inactivity rate for people of working age was 21% or 7.97 million up 50,000 on the quarter and 80,000 on the year. In the three months to August 2009 there were 233,000 redundancies which is down 68,000 on the quarter but up 85,000 on the year. A total of 8 stoppages lost 36,000 working days in August.

The number of people working in manufacturing in the three months to August 2009 was 2.63 million, the lowest figure since 1978. Manufacturing productivity decreased by 2.2% and unit wage costs increased by 3.5% compared with the same period last year. Average earnings increased by 1.9%.

Farmworkers Pay In January

Full-time male agricultural workers earned on average £367.48/week or £8.09/hour for an average 45.4 hour week during January 2009 an increase of £0.83 on 2008. Female workers earned £7.17. Farm managers earned on average £551.43/week. Over the year to January 2009 the figures were £381.12/week or £7.88/hour for an average 48.4 hour week. Managers got £524.71/week according to the latest figures from DEFRA.

There are to be some changes to the survey in future. The survey will in future be published on an annual basis for the 12 months ending in September. The quarterly data will help achieve a representative sample of workers across the year.

Falls In Employment Rate And Pay In July

There isn't much good news in the ONS Labour Market Survey for September. The number of unemployed, the unemployment rate and the claimant count have all increased. The number of inactive people of working age and the inactivity rate have increased and growth in average earnings has decreased in the three months to July, the period the survey covered. The employment rate has fallen to 72.5% and the total employment level was 28.89 million.

There was another fall in the number of people working in manufacturing at 2.65 million, down 221,000. Total hours worked per week was 908.7 million. Average weekly hours in the quarter to July was 31.5 down 0.1 from April.

The unemployment rate was 7.9% or 2.47 million in the quarter to July 2009, up 743,000 on last year. There were 567,000 people unemployed for over 12 months and 731,000 18-24 year olds. There were 22,000 people 25 years and over claiming for over 2 years. The claimant count was 1.61 million up 693,700 on last year. The economic inactivity rate was 21.1% or 7.99 million in the quarter. That is an increase of 97,000 over the quarter and 125,000 over the year.

Average earnings however increased 2.2% on last year, down 0.2% from June. Pay including bonuses was up 1.7% on the year. Unit wage costs were up 3.6% in the first quarter of the year. In the quarter to July 2009 manufacturing unit wage costs increased by 4.3% and productivity decreased by 3.4%.

There were a total of 434,000 job vacancies in the three months to August, down 12,000, which meant there were 1.7 vacancies for every 100 employee jobs. There were also 246,000 redundancies over the quarter at a rate of 9.8 for every 1000 employees. In July 2009 there were 24,000 working days losts due to labour disputes from 10 stoppages.

Manufacturing Jobs Hit All Time Low

The number of people unemployed has risen to 2.38m up 281,000 in the three months to May giving an unemployment rate of 7.6% and 753,000 on the year. The claimant count has increased to 1.56m. The number of inactive people of working age has increased and the economic inactivity rate has risen to 20.9% in the quarter. There are fewer vacancies. The number of vacancies was 429,000 down 35,000 on the quarter and 222,000 on the year. The number of redundancies was up 31,000 to 301,000 in the three months to May and 182,000 on the year. There were 31.19m workforce jobs in March. That is 108,000 down on the quarter and 455,000 fewer over the year. The number of manufacturing jobs in the quarter was 2.68m, the lowest figure since 1978 and is 201,000 or 7% down on the year. There were a total of 918.8m hours worked in the quarter to May and the average weekly hours worked was unchanged at 31.7. Average earnings annual growth rate for the whole economy excluding bonuses was 2.6% and including bonuses was 2.3%.

Unemployment Up To 7.2% At 2.26m

The number of unemployed was up 232,000 to 2.26m in the 3 months to April and up 603,000 from last year. The unemployment rate was 0.7% up to 7.2% in the 3 months to April and 1.9% on a year earlier. The number of long-term unemployed was 515,000 in the 3 months to April, 54,000 more than in the 3 months to January. There were 695,000 unemployed 18-24 year olds in 3 months to April, up 74,000 from the 3 months to January. The claimant count in May was 1.54m or 4.8%, up 39,300 or 0.1% on the month and up 726,000 or 2.2% on the year. The number of people claiming key out of work benefits was 4.53m in November 2008.

The employment rate down to 73.3% in 3 months to April, 0.8% down from 3 months to January and 1.5% down on the year. The number of employed people was down 271,000 to 29.1m on 3 months to January and 399,000 on year. 21.61m of the working population were in full-time employment. Of these, 6.02m were in public sector employment, up 15,000 from December 2008. In the private sector there were 23.09 people employed down 286,000 on December last year. There were 31.19m workforce jobs in March 2009 down 108,000 on the quarter and 455,000 on the year. The manufacturing sector showed the biggest decline at 78,000 jobs less than the last quarter.

Total working time over the 3 months to April came to 918.9m hours, down 16.8m on January. Average weekly hours worked in 3 months to April were 31.6. The number of inactive people of working age is up on 3 months ago. There were 7.89m in April. The economic inactivity rate was 20.8%, up 0.2% on 3 months to January.

Whole economy average earnings rose by 2.7% on the year. Earnings growth, excluding bonuses was down, but earnings growth, including bonuses, was up 0.8% on year.

In the 3 months to May 2009 there were 38,000 fewer vacancies than in February, down 230,000 on year, to 444,000. There were 1.7 vacancies for every 100 jobs. 302,000 people had become redundant, up 36,000 on quarter and 191,000 on year.