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