
This month’s figures continue to present signs of a cooling labour market: vacancies are continuing to drop, unemployment levels rose, and nominal regular wage growth has plateaued back to 5% after intermittently hovering at 6% over the past year.
Posted 1 year ago •
In the quarter to August 2026, employment rose, unemployment and inactivity decreased, and regular wage growth held firm. The youth unemployment rate dropped below 16% but remained significantly higher than the headline adult rate. Meanwhile, vacancies fell to their lowest level in five years in the quarter to September.
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.
