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.

Largest Fall In Unemployment Since Records Began

The unemployment rate continued to fall during the period June to August reaching 6% the lowest since 2008. There were 1.97m unemployed people, 154,000 fewer than in March to May and 538,000 fewer than last year. It is the largest fall in unemployment since records began in 1972. There were 9.03m people out of work and economically inactive. The economic inactivity rate was 22.2%, up on the previous three months but lower than last year.

There were 30.76m people in employment, 46,000 more than in the period March to May and 736,000 more than last year. The employment rate was 73% up on the 72.9% of March to May and the 71.5% of the same time last year. There was an increase in the number of workforce jobs by 285,000 from the March to May period to 33.26m in June to August, up 1.12m on last year.

Average weekly earnings in August increased over both the last three months and over the year. Average regular pay for employees was £452/week before tax, up 0.9% and average total pay before tax was £479/week, up 0.7%.

The lowest number of people to have claimed unemployment related benefits was in December 1973 at 422,600 and the highest was in July 1986 at 3.09m. The number people of claiming Job Seekers Allowance (JSA) for the latest month, September 2014, was 951,000.

Vacancies estimates increased to 674,000 for July to September 2014, up 18,000 from April to June and 130,000 from last year (Figures from the ONS).

Unemployment Down To 2.12m

The unemployment rate continued to fall during March to May 2014 to reach 6.5%, the lowest since October to December 2008. There were 2.12m people unemployed, 121,000 fewer than December 2013 to February 2014.

The employment rate was 73.1% up from 71% on last year but higher than the pre-downturn peak of 73% for 2008. The number of employees increased by 552,000 to reach 25.83m. The number of self-employed people increased by 404,000 to 4.58m. The number of unpaid family workers increased by 13,000 to reach 117,000. The number of people on government supported training and employment schemes fell by 40,000 to 120,000.

Hours worked per week were 987m march to May 2014, up 14.1m from December to February and up 35m on a year earlier. People working full time worked on average 37.6 hours/week, part-time workers worked on average 16 hours/week. There was little change on a year earlier.

There were 33.05m workforce jobs in March 2014, an increase of 380,000 from December and 1.08m on a year earlier. Workforce jobs is a different concept from employment.

Average regular weekly earnings in May 2014 was £449/week and average total pay was £478/week (both before tax and deductions). Regular pay increased 0.7% over the year, total pay increased 0.3% over the year. Consumer inflation over the year to May 2014 was 1.5%.

Claimant Count figures show that for June 2014 there were 1.04m people claiming JSA, down 36,300 from May 2014 and 418,900 on the year. Claimant Count measures the number of people claiming benefits as a direct result of unemployment. Unemployment measures people without a job seeking work in previous four weeks and available to start in two weeks, and those out of work but have found a job and are waiting to start within two weeks.

There were 648,000 vacancies for April to June 2014, up 30,000 from January to March 2014 and 117,000 from last year.

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.

Employment Continues In General Direction Of Last Two Years

The number of people in employment continues to increase according to the latest Labour Market Survey from the ONS.

There were 30.43m people in employment according to estimates for January to March 2014, 283,000 more than October to December 2013 and 722,000 more than a year ago. An increase in the number of self-employed people partly accounts for the increase.

The increase in numbers of people employed approximates to 72.7% of people aged 16 to 64 in January to March from 72.1% for October to December 2013 and 71.4% from a year earlier.

The unemployment rate was 6.8% or 2.21m unemployed people down 133,000 from October to December 2013 and 309,000 from a year earlier.

Average weekly earnings in March 2014 were £449/week for average regular pay and £474/week for average total pay. Total pay has increased by 1.7% over the year to January to March 2014. Regular pay has increased by 1.3% over the same period. CPI increased by 1.6% between March 2013 and March 2014.

There were 628,000 job vacancies for February to April 2014 up from 116,000 a year earlier.

Fall In Unemployment Of 0.2%

The unemployment rate for July to September was 7.6% down 0.2% from April to June 2013 according to figures from the ONS. There were 2.47m people unemployed down 48,000 from April to June and from a year earlier. There were 378,000 more people in employment and 149,000 fewer economically inactive people.

In terms of public and private employment, there were 5.67m people employed in the public sector (19%) and 24.17m people employed in the private sector (81%). There were 1.55m people employed in the NHS, 1.08m people employed in public administration, 1.48m people employed in education and 433,000 people employed in HM Forces.

There were 32.49 workforce jobs (filled jobs) in the economy in June 2013. There were 545,000 job vacancies for August to October 2013. There were 2 vacancies for every 100 employee jobs for August to October 2013.

Total pay averaged £475/week and regular pay was £447/week in September 2013 and between July and September 2013 total pay rose by 0.7% and regular pay by 0.8%.

By duration of unemployment 1.15m people have been unemployed for up to six months and 458,000 have been unemployed for over 2 years up 16,000 over the year.

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.

Unemployment Up By 0.1%

The employment rate went down by 0.2% (43,000) on the period from October to December and January to March 2013 but up 0.8% on the year. The unemployment rate increased by 0.1% to 7.8% over the same period, but was down 0.4% on the year. The number of unemployed people increased by 15,000 to 2.52m from October to December 2012 and January to March 2013, but fell by 92,000 fewer over the year.

There were 503,000 job vacancies for February to April 2013, up 40,000 on a year earlier. In terms of duration, 18% had been unemployed for over two years but almost half (47%) had been unemployed for six months or less. The rest were between the two, six months to two years unemployed.

Total pay rose by 0.4% and regular pay by 0.8%. Both measures have not seen lower growth indicators for some years. Average total pay was £463/week and average regular pay was £444/week.

Slight Fall In Unemployment

The unemployment rate for June to August was 7.9% down 0.2% compared with March to May 2012. There were 2.53m unemployed down 50,000 on March to May. The employment rate for June to August was 71.3% up 0.5% on March to May with 29.59m people in work, up 212,000 on March to May and 510,000 on last year. The number of people in full-time work increased by 88,000 between March/May and June/August and part-time work by 125,000 but between June/August 2007 and June/August 2012 the number of people in full-time employment has fallen by 355,000 and the number of people in part-time employment has increased by 724,000. The number of unemployed people fell by 50,000 between March/May and June/August 2012 but increased by 883,000 between June/August 2007 and June/August 2012. The inactivity rate was down. There were 9.04m (22.5%) economically inactive people in June to August, down 138,000 on March to May and 314,000 on last year. There were 476,000 job vacancies for July to September 2012, up 3,000. There were 1.8 vacancies per 100 employee jobs. The largest increase in jobs between March and June 2012 was in the professional, scientific and technical sector with an increase of 87,000. The largest fall in jobs was recorded in the human health and social work sector with a decrease of 60,000 jobs. There pay rises in the June to August period. Total pay increased by 1.7% and regular pay increased by 2% on last year. Average total pay in August was £473/week and average regular pay was £444/week. The unemployment rate was highest in the North East with 9.9%. It was lowest in the South West with 5.8%. The largest decreases in the unemployment rate were in the North West with 1.1% and the North East with 0.9%. The highest employment rate was in the East of England with 74.6% followed by the South West (74.6%) and the South East (74.4%) and lowest in the North East with 67.9%. The inactivity rate was also highest in the North East with 24.6% and it was lowest in the East of England with 19.9%. The North East also had the highest Claimant Count with 7.7%. The lowest Claimant Count was in the South East with 3%.

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 Down By 0.2%

The unemployment rate went down by 0.2%, or 51,000 to 2.61m unemployed people in the three months to April. There were 29.28m people aged 16 and over in employment, up 166,000 on the quarter. Full-time workers numbered 21.32m and part-time workers 7.97m. The private sector accounted for 23.38m, up 205,000 and the public sector for 5.9m, down 39,000.

There were 1.01m unemployed young people (16-24 year olds) down by 29,000 and 3.62m young 16-24 year olds in employment. The unemployment rate for 16-24 year olds was down 0.6% to 21.9% in the three months to April. The unemployment rate is increased as increasing numbers of unemployed young people go into full-time education and are classed as economically inactive. If people in full-time education are excluded there were 709,000 unemployed 16-24 year olds in the three months to April.

The economic inactivity rate was 23%, down 0.2%. The economically inactive went down by 69,000 on the quarter and 139,000 over the year to 9.23m. The figure includes a fall of 62,000 to 2.25m people who were students. The claimant count in May 2012 was 1.6m, a rate of 4.9%.

Total pay in the public sector rose by 1.4% on the previous year to £479/week and regular pay by 0.8% to £467. Total pay in the private sector rose by 1.3% to £465/week in April 2012 and average regular pay rose by 2.1% to £431/week.

There were 31.89m workforce jobs in March 2012, up 357,000 over the quarter and 544,000 over the year. There were 465,000 job vacancies in the three months to May 2012. The number of redundancies on the quarter fell 0.7% to 6.2% but was up on the year by 1.6%.

Fall In Unemployment In February

The ONS labour market statistical bulletin for February suggests that in February 2012 there were 2.65m people unemployed giving an unemployment rate of 8.3%. The figures mean a fall of 35,000 on the quarter, the first quarterly fall since May 2011. The employment rate for 16-64 year olds was 70.4%, up 0.1%. The numbers of people in employment in February were 29.17m over 16 years of age, an increase of 53,000. The number of job vacancies during the three months to March 2012 was unchanged at 464,000.

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 Up To 8.4%

The unemployment rate went up 0.3% to 8.4% for the three months to November 2011. It the highest since 1995. The number of unemployed people went up to 2.68m. The highest since 1994. The number of young unemployed, those between 16 and 24, at 1.04m, is the highest it has been since comparable records began in 1992. The employment rate was 70.3% with 29.12m people in employment.

Average total pay was £464/week in November 2011 and average regular pay (excluding bonuses) was £438/week. Total pay rose 1.9% in the three months to November and regular pay rose by the same amount over the same period. Average total pay in the private sector was £462/week and regular pay £428/week and in the public sector total pay was £477/week and regular pay was £465/week.

Labour productivity increased by 1.2% between Q2 and Q3 2011 and unit labour costs increased by 0.5%. There were 164,000 redundancies in the three months before the ONS labour force survey. Workforce jobs increased by 150,000 to 31.27m. Administrative and support services jobs showed the biggest increase.

The number of vacancies fell to 463,000 in the three months to December 2011 or 1.8 vacancies per 100 employee jobs. (ONS)

Number of Unemployed Reaches 2.64m

The unemployment rate reached 8.3% in November 2011, up 0.4% on the quarter. The last time it was higher was January 1996. The total number of unemployed people reached 2.64m, the highest number since September 1994. The unemployment level for the 16 to 24 age group at 22% is the highest since records began. The number of unemployed people in that age group has risen to 1.03m. Data from the years before these records began show that the level of youth unemployment was higher in the 1980s.

Total pay rose by 2% on last year. Regular pay (excluding bonuses) rose by 1.8% on the year. Output per worker was unchanged. Unit labour costs increased by 0.3%. Actual hours worked per week was 918m and average weekly hours worked increased by 0.2% to 31.6. There were 455,000 vacancies in the three months to November, or 1.7 vacancies for 100 employee jobs.

Unemployment Rate 8.3%

The unemployment reached the highest it has been since 1996 at 8.3% or 2.62m people, an increase of 129,000 on the quarter. The 2.62m figure is the highest since 1994.

There were 29.07m people in employment aged 16 and over, a decrease of 197,000 on the quarter. There were 31.16m workforce jobs in June 2011, down 102,000 on the quarter. Workforce jobs measured jobs filled. It differs from the employment figure because some people have more than one job.

The number of redundancies fell by 7,000 to 147,000 over the three months before the survey. The redundancy rate was 5.9/1,000. The number of vacancies increased by 7,000 to 462,000 in the three months to October 2011. There were 1.8 jobs to every 100 employee jobs during that period.

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.

Unemployment At 7.7%

Headline indicators for the labour market released by the ONS include the unemployment rate of 7.7% and unemployment level at 2.45m people. The employment rate was 70.7% or 29.16m and the inactivity rate was 23.2% and the level of inactivity went up to 9.3m. Average regular pay for June to August increased by 2% and total pay by 1.7%.

The bulletin also included that there were 459,000 vacancies and that the vacancy ratio was 1.7. There were 30.8m workforce jobs. The average weekly hours worked in the three months to August was 31.6 and the total hours worked was 918.8m.

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.

Long-term Unemployment At Record Levels

The employment rate according to the latest ststistics from the ONS is 72.1% equivalent to 28.86m employed people. Full-time worker numbers were down 56,000 over the quarter, but part-time work increased 61,000. 1.08m people were working part-time because they couldn't find a job (highest since 1992).

The unemployment rate was up 0.1% over the quarter to 7.9% leaving 2.47m people unemployed up 23,000 The were 1.48m on Jobseeker's Alowance. The long-term unemployed increased by 85,000 to reach 772,000, the highest figure since April 1997. The number of people unemployed for up to six months fell by 42,000 to 1.17m.

There were 30.75m workforce jobs in December 2009, down 533,000 on a year earlier. There were 5.2 unemployed people for every vacancy. The number of vacancies for May 2010 was 492,000 an increase of 7,000. All industry sector showed some form of movement over the quarter. In all 173,000 employees were made redundant, down 137,00 on last year in 3 months to April, that is 7/1000 employees.

The inactivity rate went up to 21.5%, an increase of 29,000 to 8.19m, a record high. Working age inactive people, including students and the long-term sick, increased by 58,000 to 2.07m. Total hours worked per week were 907.3m in three months to April. Average weekly hours 31.5, unchanged.

The annual growth rate for pay was 4.2% for three months to April from 4.3% in March. Annual regular pay growth was 1.9% for three months to April from 2% in March. Regular pay rose by 1.9%. Average weekly earnings including bonuses was £455/week in April 2010, a rise of 4.2% over the three months. Average weekly wage excluding bonuses was £428. In the private sector including bonuses was £450 up 4.5%, excluding bonuses £419. In the public sector including bonuses £463, up 4.2% over the year, excluding bonuses £458 up 3.7%.

Output per worker was 1.4% lower than in Q4 2009 on the year. Unit wage costs were up 2.4%. 5 stoppages cost 2000 working days lost in April. Over year to April 98 stoppages cost 713,000 lost working days.