The Number of People Without Jobs and Looking For Work Falls By 39,000 to 1.63 Million

Office National Statistics

ONS FIGURES SHOW-Between February to April 2016 and May to July 2016, the number of people in work increased. The number of unemployed people and the number of people not working and not seeking or available to work (economically inactive) fell.

There were 31.77 million people in work, 174,000 more than for February to April 2016 and 559,000 more than for a year earlier.

There were 23.25 million people working full-time, 434,000 more than for a year earlier. There were 8.51 million people working part-time, 126,000 more than for a year earlier.

The employment rate (the proportion of people aged from 16 to 64 who were in work) was 74.5%, the joint highest since comparable records began in 1971.

There were 1.63 million unemployed people (people not in work but seeking and available to work), 39,000 fewer than for February to April 2016, 190,000 fewer than for a year earlier and the lowest since March to May 2008.

There were 901,000 unemployed men, 88,000 fewer than for a year earlier. There were 731,000 unemployed women, 102,000 fewer than for a year earlier.

The unemployment rate was 4.9%, down from 5.5% for a year earlier. The last time it was lower was for July to September 2005. The unemployment rate is the proportion of the labour force (those in work plus those unemployed) that were unemployed.

There were 8.83 million people aged from 16 to 64 who were economically inactive (not working and not seeking or available to work), 92,000 fewer than for February to April 2016 and 195,000 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%, the lowest since comparable records began in 1971.

Average weekly earnings for employees in Great Britain in nominal terms (that is, not adjusted for price inflation) increased by 2.3% including bonuses and by 2.1% excluding bonuses compared with a year earlier.

Public Sector employment falls

Source: ONS