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Posted 2 years ago •
The latest ONS data cover the period from September to November 2023 and show a labour market that remains tight overall but continues to soften.
The employment rate, unemployment rate and economic inactivity remained broadly unchanged from the last quarter (75.7%, 4.2% and 20.9% respectively).
In the quarter to June 2026, employment rose, headline unemployment fell and economic inactivity was broadly unchanged. Meanwhile, youth unemployment remained above 16%, vacancies fell again, and regular pay growth showed signs of resilience.
In the quarter to February 2026, the unemployment level and rate fell, employment levels rose slightly but the employment rate decreased, and wage growth continued to slow. There was also a notable uptick in economic inactivity, and vacancies have fallen even further.