Unemployment falls to 4%

Unemployment fell to 4%, the lowest level since 1974 with 71% of women employed, according to the Office for National Statistics.

UK labour market figures for April to June show there were 32.39 million people in work, 42,000 more than for January to March 2018 and 313,000 more than for a year earlier and that more than half of the annual increase in the number of people in employment was due to more women in full-time employment (170,000), with the number of men in full-time employment increasing by 101,000 over the year.

The figures show the number of self-employed people decreased by 38,000 and that 780,000 people in employment were on “zero-hours contracts” in their main job, 104,000 fewer than for a year earlier.

There were 8.73 million people aged from 16 to 64 years [21.2%] who were economically inactive (not working and not seeking or available to work), 77,000 more than for January to March 2018 but 31,000 fewer than for a year earlier.

Fall in EU Nationals Working in the UK

The number of UK nationals working in the UK increased by 332,000 to 28.76 million while EU nationals working in the UK fell by 86,000 to 2.28 million (the largest annual fall since comparable records began in 1997). Non-EU nationals working in the UK increased by 74,000 to 1.27 million.

The figures also show that average weekly earnings for employees in Great Britain before inflation are estimated to have increased by 2.7% excluding bonuses, and by 2.4% including bonuses, compared with a year earlier. However, average weekly earnings for employees in Great Britain in real terms (that is, adjusted for price inflation) are estimated to have increased by only 0.4% excluding bonuses, and by 0.1% including bonuses, compared with a year earlier.

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