Lowest Unemployment Rate for over 40 years in UK

20th June 2019

Main points for February to April 2019.

The UK employment rate was estimated at 76.1%, higher than a year earlier (75.6%) and the joint-highest on record.

The UK unemployment rate was estimated at 3.8%; it has not been lower since October to December 1974.

The UK economic inactivity rate was estimated at 20.8%, lower than a year earlier (21.0%) and close to a record low.

Excluding bonuses, average weekly earnings for employees in Great Britain were estimated to have increased by 3.4%, before adjusting for inflation, and by 1.5%, after adjusting for inflation, compared with a year earlier.

Including bonuses, average weekly earnings for employees in Great Britain were estimated to have increased by 3.1%, before adjusting for inflation, and by 1.2%, after adjusting for inflation, compared with a year earlier.

Employment rate for women was 72.0%, the highest on record.

Estimated employment rates for men and women aged between 16 and 64 years have been generally increasing since early 2012. For February to April 2019, the estimated employment rate:

for all people was 76.1%, the joint-highest since comparable records began in 1971

for men was 80.3%; slightly higher than a year earlier (80.0%)

for women was 72.0%, the highest since comparable records began in 1971

The increase in the employment rate for women in recent years is due partly to changes to the State Pension age for women, resulting in fewer women retiring between the ages of 60 and 65 years.

Estimates for February to April 2019 show 32.75 million people aged 16 years and over in employment, 357,000 more than for a year earlier. This annual increase of 357,000 was due entirely to more people working full-time (up 402,000 on the year to reach 24.15 million). Part-time working showed a fall of 45,000 on the year to reach 8.60 million.

Unemployment rates have been generally falling for the last five years.

Estimated unemployment rates for both men and women aged 16 years and over have been generally falling since late 2013.

For February to April 2019, the estimated unemployment rate:

for everyone was 3.8%; it has not been lower since October to December 1974

for men was 4.0%, slightly lower than a year earlier (4.3%)

for women was 3.7%, the joint-lowest since comparable records began in 1971

For February to April 2019, an estimated 1.30 million people were unemployed, 112,000 fewer than a year earlier and 857,000 fewer than five years earlier. Looking in more detail at this fall of 857,000 unemployed people over the last five years:

people unemployed for up to 6 months fell by 249,000 to 779,000

people out of work for between 6 and 12 months fell by 162,000 to 178,000

the largest fall was for people unemployed for over one year (down 446,000 to 347,000)

To read the full report go to

https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peoplenotinwork/unemployment/timeseries/mgsx/lms