Labour Research (May 2018)

News

Joblessness takes downward turn


Unemployment has resumed its downward path after two rises, official figures show.


The 16,000 fall in the number of unemployed people in the three-month period ending February cut unemployment to 1.42 million, according to the Office for National Statistics. The fall helped cut the unemployment rate to 4.2% from 4.3%.


The overall fall was accounted for by men, whose numbers were down by 17,000 to 751,000 — enough to cut their unemployment rate to 4.2% from 4.3%. 


The number of jobless women increased by 1,000 to 672,000. Nevertheless, their unemployment rate fell to 4.2% from 4.3% as more women entered the labour market.


On the other unemployment measure — the claimant count — numbers increased by 11,600 to 855,300 in March. This count only includes claimants receiving Jobseeker’s Allowance and those on the means-tested Universal Credit.


The increase in numbers, however, was not enough to affect the joblessness rate which remained at 2.4%.


The number of male claimants increased by 7,100 to 523,400 and their joblessness rate increased to 2.8% from 2.7% in February. 


The numbers of women claimants increased by 4,500 to 331,800 and that pushed their joblessness rate up to 2.0% from 1.9%.

https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/employmentandemployeetypes/bulletins/uklabourmarket/april2018


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