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.

Employment's General Trend Continues For Another Month

There was an increase in employment and an fall in unemployment and in the number of economically inactive people. The number of unemployed people in the period February to April 2014 was 2.16m, 161,000 fewer between February and April 2014 than between for November to January. The unemployment rate was 6.6% down from 7.2% for November to January and down by 7.8% on a year earlier.

There were 30.54m people, or 72.9%, in work, up 345,000 on the number for November 2013 to January 2014 and 780,000 more than a year earlier. There were also 8.82m economically inactive people (out of work but not seeking or available for work) 80,000 fewer than for November 2013 to January 2014.

Between February to April 2013 and February to April 2014 the number of employees increased by 457,000 to 25.75m. the number of self-employed people increased by 337,000 to 4.45m, the number of unpaid family workers increased by 22,000 to 127,000 and the number of people on Government supported schemes decreased by 37,000 to 120,000.

There were 1.58m people employed in the NHS, up 10,000, 1.07m people working in public administration, 1.52m people working in education and 423,000 employed in HM Forces and the police.

Estimates of nationality between January to March 2013 and January to March 2014 suggest the number of UK nationals working in the UK increased by 563,000 to reach 27.57m and the number of non-UK nationals working in the UK increased by 178,000 to reach 2.77m. The number of UK born people working in the UK increased by 447,000 to reach 25.77m and the number of non-UK born people working in the UK increased by 292,000 to reach 4.55m.

There were 33.05m workforce jobs (jobs filled which is different from the number of people employed because some people have more than one job) in March 2014 up 380,000 from December 2013 and 1.08m on a year earlier.

Average total pay increased by 0.7% over the year and average regular pay increased by 0.9%. Average total pay was £478/week before tax and average regular pay was £449/week.

There were 637,000 job vacancies (positions to be filled from outside the business or organisation) for March to May 2014. This was 39,000 up from December 2013 to February 2014, 116,000 up on a year earlier but 59,000 down on the pre-downturn peak of 696,000 for January to March 2008.

There were 4.25m people claiming key out of work benefits, the lowest figure since records began in 1999, down 390,000 from November 2012 and down 850,000 from the peak of 5.10m for February 2010.

The duration of unemployment varies and in recorded by the ONS. Some 1.03m people had been unemployed for up to six months, 345,000 people had been unemployed for between six and twelve months, 791 people had been unemployed for over a year, 430,000 people had been unemployed for over two years. The numbers in all of these categories has fallen over the most recent recorded period ie. November 2013 to January 2014 and over the last year.

Unemployment Continues To Fall Nationally

The number of unemployed people aged 16 or over fell by 125,000 from October to December to 2.34m and by 161,000 from a year earlier. The unemployment rate from October to December fell to 7.2%, 0.4 percentage points down from July to September 2013. There were 396,000 more people in employment.

The economic inactivity rate was 22.1% or 8.93 million economically inactive people aged 16-64, 23,000 fewer than between July and September.

Total pay (including bonuses) averaged £478/week, an increase of 1.1% (CPI=2% for same period). Regular pay averaged £450/week.

There were 32.35m workforce jobs in the economy in September 2013, an increase of 216,000 since June 2013 and 598,000 on a year earlier. Professional, scientific and technical was the sector that showed the largest increase in jobs between September 2012 and September 2013 and reached 2.62m.

At the regional level the employment rate was highest in the South East at 76.6% and lowest in the North East at 67.4%. The unemployment rate was highest in the North East at 10% and lowest in the South East at 5.1%. The North West reported the highest level of economic inactivity at 25.1% and lowest in the South East at 19.2%

The highest employment rate for the period October 2012 to September 2013 at local authority level was South Northamptonshire with 87.8% then Watford with 87.1%. The lowest rates were in Nottingham with 57.2% then Middlesbrough with 58.3% and Newcastle upon Tyne and Birmingham with 58.7%.

Birmingham had the highest unemployment rate at 16%, then Middlesbrough with 15%. The lowest rates were South Lakeland with 2.4% and Eden in Cumbria at 2.8%.

Unemployment Down By 0.2% On Year

Unemployment was down 0.1% from March to May 2013 with 2.49m people unemployed and 0.2% from a year earlier. Inactivity was at 22.2% down 0.2% from March to May and 0.3% from last year to 8.95m people.

The number of employees increased by 102,000 to 25.38m, the number of self-employed increased by 34,000 to 4.21m, the number of unpaid family workers increased to 116,000, the number of people on government schemes but classified as being in employment increased by 8,000 to 168,000.

Total pay rose by 0.7% to £474/week. Regular pay rose by 0.8% to £447/week.

North East-South East Divide In Labour Market

The employment rate was highest in the South East with 75.1% and lowest in the North East with 66.1%. The unemployment rate was highest in the North East with 10.4% and lowest in the South East with 5.8%. Inactivity was highest in the North East with a rate of 26% and lowest in the South East with 19.7%. The claimant count was highest in the North East at 7.1% and lowest in the South East at 2.7%.

Nationally, the unemployment rate was 7.8% down 0.2% from December 2012 to February 2013 and 0.3% on a year earlier. There were 2.51m people unemployed, a fall of 57,000 from December 2012 to February 2013 and 72,000 on the year. Inactivity was up 0.2% to 22.5%. The number of young unemployed fell 20,000 to 959,000.

Total pay rose by 1.7% to £476/week and regular pay by 1% to £446/week compared with March to May 2012. Average weekly hours worked for March to May totalled 32 up 0.1 from December to February and a year earlier. The claimant count was 1.48m, down 117,700 on the year. The rate was 4.4% down 0.1% from May 2013.

There were 32.3m workforce jobs in March 2013, up 211,000 from December and 161,000 on the year. The biggest increase sectorally was in professional, scientific and technical jobs with an increase of 118,000 to 2.56m. There were 529,000 vacancies, up 24,000 from January to March and 56,000 on the year.

Regional Labour Market Statistics

The unemployment rate was highest in the North East where it reached 9.7% and lowest in the South West at 5.5%. The employment rate was highest in the South East at 75% and lowest in the North East at 67.7%. Inactivity rates were also highest in the North East at 24.9% and lowest in the East of England at 19.6%. The North East also had the highest claimant count at 7.7% and the South East the lowest at 3%.

Slight Fall In Unemployment

The unemployment rate fell 0.2% to 7.8% for July to September 2012 according to a statistical bulletin from the ONS. The number of the unemployed stands at 2.51m, down 49,000 on April to June an 110,000 on last year. The inactivity rate was 22.6% or 9.07m economically inactive people aged 16-64. The employment rate was 71.2% or 29.58m people, up 513,000 people on last year. Total hours worked per week for July to September were 945.3m, up 10.6m from April to June. Average hours worked were 32. Estimates for total hours can be affected by the arrangement of public holidays. In September 2012, average total pay was £471/week and total rergular pay was £444/week.

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.

Unemployment Rate Highest Since 1995

The unemployment rate for March 2012 according to the latest ONS labour market statistical bulletin was 8.4%, the highest since 1995. There were 2.67m unemployed people. The number in employment was 29.12m, up 9,000 on the quarter but the number of people employed in the public sector fell by 37,000.

In the three months to January 2012 the inactivity rate was 23.1% equivalent to 9.3m economically inactive people. Over the same period 173,000 people were made redundant or 70 per 1000 employees. There were 31.54 workplace jobs in December 2011. Administative and support services showed the biggest increase in workplace jobs with an increase of 44,000 to 2.49m. Vacancies totalled 473,000 in the three months to February, an increase of 15,000. There were 1.8 vacancies per 100 employee jobs.

Total pay rose by 1.4% while regular pay rose by 1.7%. Output/worker rose by 1.2% between Q2 and Q3 2011 while unit labour costs rose by 0.5%.

Labour disputes cost industry 21,000 working days in January 2012.

Unemployment At 7.7%

The unemployment rate for the 16-64 age group for the three months to March 2011 was down 0.1% to 7.7% or a total of 36,000 fewer unemployed people according to the ONS Labour Market Survey for March 2011. The number of unemployed people in March was 2.46m. The employment rater was 70.7% and the number of employed people was 29.57m. In the 16-24 age group unemployment was 20% of the economically active population, down 0.5% on the previous three months. The inactivity rate was 23.3% and the number of economically inactive people was 9.32m. Those inactive due to long-term illness numbered 2.16m. The claimant count increased by 12,400 to 1.47m.

Average regular pay for public sector workers in March 2011 was £471/week and averege total pay (incl. bonuses) was £481/week. For private sector workers average regular pay was £422/week and average total pay (incl. bonuses) was £466/week. The earnings annual growth rate for total pay was 2.3% for the three months to March and for regular pay 2.1%. Actual hours worked per week in tyhe three months to March totalled 921.9. Average weekly hours worked over he same period was 31.6.

There 123,000 redundancies in the three mnoths to March, down 24,000 on the previous three months and 53,00 on the year. The redundancy rate was 4.9 per 1,000 employees. Working days lost due to labour disputes totalled 145,000 in the twelve months to March 2011, the lowest since records began in 1931.

Whole economy output per worker was 0.8% up in Q4 2010 compared with the previous year. hole economy wage costs increased by 0.7% over the same period. In December 2010 there were 31.26m workforce jobs with the largest increase being in human health and social work. Vacancies in the three months to April 2011 were down 30,000 to 469,000. If the temporary vacancies connected with the Census are excluded the total falls to 461,000. There were 1.8 vacancies per 100 employees in the three months to April 2011.

March Unemployment Up To 8%

The March 2011 labour market ststistics from the ONS say that the unemployment rate was 8% with 2.53m unemployed people in the UK. The employment rate was 70.5% with 29.16m people in employment. Inactivity measured 23.3% or 9.33m economically inactive people aged 16-64. Total pay (pay including bonuses) increased by 2.3% on the previous year and regular pay by 2.2%.

Unemployment Up To 2.49m

The unemployment rate for October to December 2010 was 7.9% or 2.49m unemployed people. Youth unemployment (18-24 year olds) was 762,000 and is at its highest since 1993.

There were 29.12 employed people and an employment rate of 70.5%. Inactivity was at 23.4% or 9.36m inactive people. The public sector employed 6.01 people in September 2010, 33,000 down from June and the number of people employed in the private sector was 23.11m unchanged from June 2010.

Actual hours worked totalled 924.6m in the three months to December, 3% up on the three months to September. Average weekly hours worked in the three months to December totalled 31.8, up 0.2 from three months to September 2010.

Total pay, which includes bonuses, went up by 1.8% on the year earlier and regular pay went up by 2.3% on the year earlier. Private sector average total pay was £447/week in December 2010 and public sector pay average weekly earnings was £467. Average regular pay in the private sector was £419/week and in the public sector £467/week. The claimant count was 1.46m up on the quarter but down on the year.

Productivity was up 1.7% in Q3 2010 compared with Q3 2009 and whole economy wage costs fell by 0.5% over the same period.In December 2010, 7,000 working days were lost because of 14 stoppages in labour disputes and over the year 365,000 days lost from 88 stoppages.

There were 30.7m workforce jobs in September 2010, up on the quarter but down over the year with most jobs increases in accomodation and food services activities and between November 2010 and January 2011 there were 500,000 vacancies (503,000 in same period 2009) and a vacancy ratio of 1.9 per 100 employee jobs. Redundancies totalled 145,000 in the three months to December 2010 unchanged on the previous three months but down 23,000 from a year earlier or 5.8 per 1000 employees.

2.51 Million Unemployed People

Unemployment increased by 53,000 to 2.51 million over the three months to March. The unemployment rate was 8% in March 2010. It is the highest number of unemployed people since December 1994. The number of people unemployed for over 12 months was 757,000 the highest since May 1997. The inactivity rate was up 0.2% to 21.5% with an increase of 88,000 to 8.17 million people of working age economically inactive. The number of vacancies went down 6,000 to 475,000 over the quarter.

Total pay (including bonuses) increased 4% for the three months to March 2010. Regular pay (excluding bonuses) increased by 1.9% from 1.7% in February 2010. Average total pay was £459/week and average regular pay £429/week. Total hours worked per week were 908.4 million with a weekly average of 31.6 in the three months to March 2010.

The public sector employed 6.10 million people and the private sector 22.76 million in December 2009. Average public sector total pay was £467/week and average regular pay was £459/week. Average private sector total pay was £463/week and regular pay £421/week in the three months to March 2010.

Fall In Unemployment In January

The unemployment rate fell by 0.1 to 7.8% in the quarter to January 2010 and the number of unemployed people fell by 33,000 to 2.45m. It is the first quarterly fall in the unemployment rate since May 2008 and the biggest fall in the number of unemployed since July 2007. The number of long-term unemployed increased however by 61,000 to 687,000 the biggest number since the three months to August 1997. The number of unemployed men and women both fell in the quarter, men by 20,000 to 1.51m and women by 13,000 to 938,000. The claimant count in February 2010 was down 32,300 to 1.59m or 4.9%.

The employment rate was 77% and the number of people in employment fell by 54,000 to 28.86m. The number of employees and self-employed people working part-time becuase they could not find a full time job increased 20,000 over the quarter. The working age employment rate was 72.2% down 0.3% on the previous quarter and 1.8% on the year. For men of working age the employment rate was 75% and women 69.2%. Full-time employment fell to 21.16m and part-time was unchanged at 7.7m. The public sector employed 6.1m and the private sector 22.76m.

There were 30.75m workforce jobs in December 2009 a decrease of 119,000 over the quarter and 533,00 over the year. The largest decrease over the quarter was in distribution, hotels and restaurants where the number of jobs fell by 62,000. There were 480,000 vacancies and 1.8 vacancies per 100 employee jobs.

The total number of hours worked per week in the three months to January 2010 fell 4.6m to 908.2m and the average weekly hours worked over the same period was down 0.1 to 31.5. Productivity was 3.1% lower than a year ago and wage costs increased by 4.1%. The working age inactivity rate was 21.5% up 0.4% and the number of economically inactive people of working age was up by 149,000 over the quarter and 371,000 over the year to 8.16m. The inactivity was increased mainly by the 2.31m students not in the labour market, an increase of 93,000 on the quarter.

Average total weekly earnings was £442/week including bonuses in January 2010 and average regular pay excluding bonuses was £426/week. Total pay increased by 0.9% and regular pay by 1.4% in January. Private sector pay was £426/week and excluding bonuses was £416/week. Private sector total pay was unchanged on last year and regular pay rose by 0.4%. Public sector average total pay was £461/week and regular pay was £457/week in January 2010. Public sector total pay went up by 3.8% and regular 4%.

Nine stoppages cost 4,000 working days in January. In the year to January the figure was 451,000 working days from 100 stoppages. The number of redundancies decreased by 22,000 to 168,000 that is a rate of 6.7 per 1000 employees down by 0.9% on the previous qaurter and 4.1% on the year.

Increase In Long-Term Unemployment

The employment rate for October to December 2009 was 72.4%, down 0.1% on the quarter and 28.91m employed people, down 12,000. The number in full-time employment fell 37,000 to 21.22m. Part-time employment increased by 25,000 to 7.67m. The workforce also included 1.04m part-time people looking for a full-time job, the highest since 1992, up 37,000 on the quarter.

The unemployment rate was unchanged 7.8% and there were 2.46m unemployed people, 3,000 fewer than the last quarter. There were 37,000 more long-term unemployed over the quarter to give a total of 663,000, the highest figure since the quarter to September 1997. There were 725,00 18-24 year olds unemployed. In January 2010 there were 1.64m people claiming Job Seeker's Allowance, an increase of 23,500 since December 2009 following two successive monthly falls. The claimant count rate is 5%.

The inactivity rate for the quarter to December was uo 0.2% to 21.3%. The highest ever inactivity rate recorded was 23.3% in 1983. There were 8.06m inactive working age people over the quarter due to an increase of 72,000 thanks to an increase of 62,000 students to 2.62m, the highest since records began.

The number of vacancies in the three months to January 2010 was 479,000, an increase of 49,000. There were 1.8 vacancies for every 100 employee jobs. Redundancies totalled 168,000 in the three months to December. The redundancy rate was 6.8 per 1000 employees.

Total pay (including bonuses) rose by 0.8% on last year to £451/week. Regular pay (excluding bonuses) rose by 1.2% on last year to £425/week. Private sector average total pay in December 2009 was £448/week and was unchanged on a year earlier. Average regular pay was £416/week. Public sector average total pay was £457/week and rose 3.7% over the year. Average regular pay (excluding bonuses) in the public sector was £456/week and rose 3.9% over the year.

Whole economy unit wage costs rose by 4.1% in the third quarter of 2009 compared with a year earlier while productivity was 3.1% lower. Manufacturing unit wage costs decreased by 0.7% while manufacturing productivity increased by 3.6% over the same period.

Public sector employment totalled 6.09m, an increase of 23,000 and the private sector accounted for 22.82m, up 15,000 from June 2009. There were 30.86m workforce jobs in September 2009, down 127,000 over the quarter and 649,00 over the year. Construction alone fell by 67,000, agriculture by 1,000, production jobs fell by 41,000 and services by 18,000. There were 2.6m employee jobs in manufacturing.

Hours worked totalled 907.0m in the quarter to December, down 1.8m on the previous qaurter. Average weekly hours in the quarter to December were 31.5, unchanged from September 2009.

In the three months to December 2009 there were 25.26m UK nationals and 3.72m non-UK people in employment. Some 3,000 working days were lost due to 11 labour dispute stoppages.

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.

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%.

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%.