The employment rate in the UK is high by historic standards and at the beginning of 2017, a larger proportion of working-age people had a job of some description than had ever been recorded before.
The Office for National Statistics has published the latest employment statistics which reveal:
Estimates from the Labour Force Survey show that, between October to December 2016 and January to March 2017, the number of people in work increased, the number of unemployed people fell, and the number of people aged from 16 to 64 not working and not seeking or available to work (economically inactive) also fell.
- There were 31.95 million people in work, 122,000 more than for October to December 2016 and 381,000 more than for a year earlier.
- The employment rate (the proportion of people aged from 16 to 64 who were in work) was 74.8%, the highest since comparable records began in 1971.
- There were 1.54 million unemployed people (people not in work but seeking and available to work), 53,000 fewer than for October to December 2016 and 152,000 fewer than for a year earlier.
- The unemployment rate (the proportion of those in work plus those unemployed) was 4.6%, down from 5.1% for a year earlier and the lowest since 1975.
- There were 8.83 million people aged from 16 to 64 who were economically inactive (not working and not seeking or available to work), 40,000 fewer than for October to December 2016 and 82,000 fewer than for a year earlier.
- The inactivity rate (the proportion of people aged from 16 to 64 who were economically inactive) was 21.5%, down from 21.8% for a year earlier and the joint lowest since comparable records began in 1971.
- Latest estimates show that average weekly earnings for employees in Great Britain in nominal terms (that is, not adjusted for price inflation) increased by 2.4% including bonuses, and by 2.1% excluding bonuses, compared with a year earlier.
- Latest estimates show that average weekly earnings for employees in Great Britain in real terms (that is, adjusted for price inflation) increased by 0.1% including bonuses, but fell by 0.2% excluding bonuses, compared with a year earlier.
Responding to the latest data, Alpesh Paleja, CBI Principal Economist stated, “Rising employment continues to reinforce the important of the UK’s flexible market. However, weakening productivity and slower pay growth, coupled with rising inflation, will continue to squeeze real household earnings. Therefore, maintaining the UK’s reputation as one of the best places for business, for example by increasing R&D spend to 3% of GDP by 2025, will help boost the UK’s productivity. This is the only sustainable route to higher wages, and better living standards.”
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