United Kingdom Unemployment Rate  1971-2017 | Data | Chart | Calendar

The unemployment rate in the UK fell to 4.5 percent in the three months to May of 2017, below 4.6 percent in the previous period and market forecasts of 4.6 percent. It is the lowest jobless rate since June of 1975. Earnings including bonuses rose 1.8 percent year-on-year, the weakest gain since the three months to November 2014. Adjusted for inflation, pay growth fell 0.7 percent, the sharpest drop since 2014. Unemployment Rate in the United Kingdom averaged 7.10 percent from 1971 until 2017, reaching an all time high of 12 percent in February of 1984 and a record low of 3.40 percent in November of 1973.

United Kingdom Unemployment Rate
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Calendar GMT Actual Previous Consensus Forecast (i)
2017-05-17 08:30 AM Mar 4.6% 4.7% 4.7% 4.7%
2017-06-14 08:30 AM Apr 4.6% 4.6% 4.6% 4.6%
2017-07-12 08:30 AM May 4.5% 4.6% 4.6% 4.6%
2017-08-16 08:30 AM Jun 4.5% 4.7%
2017-09-13 08:30 AM Jul 4.8%
2017-10-18 08:30 AM Aug 4.8%




UK Jobless Rate Falls To 4.5%, Lowest Since 1975


The unemployment rate in the UK fell to 4.5 percent in the three months to May of 2017, below 4.6 percent in the previous period and market forecasts of 4.6 percent. It is the lowest jobless rate since June of 1975. Earnings including bonuses rose 1.8 percent year-on-year, the weakest gain since the three months to November 2014. Adjusted for inflation, pay growth fell 0.7 percent, the sharpest drop since 2014.

There were 1.49 million unemployed people, 64,000 fewer than for December 2016 to February 2017 and 152,000 fewer than for a year earlier.

There were 32.01 million people in work, 175,000 more than for December 2016 to February 2017 and 324,000 more than for a year earlier. The employment rate was 74.9%, the highest since comparable records began in 1971.

There were 8.83 million people aged from 16 to 64 who were economically inactive, 57,000 fewer than for December 2016 to February 2017 and 55,000 fewer than for a year earlier. The inactivity rate was 21.5%, down from 21.7% for a year earlier and the joint lowest since comparable records began in 1971.

Average weekly earnings for employees in Great Britain in nominal terms increased by 1.8% including bonuses, and by 2.0% excluding bonuses, compared with a year earlier. In real terms, average weekly earnings fell by 0.7% including bonuses, and fell by 0.5% excluding bonuses, compared with a year earlier.

ONS | Joana Taborda | joana.taborda@tradingeconomics.com
7/12/2017 8:52:23 AM


Recent Releases

UK Jobless Rate Steady At 4.6%
UK unemployment rate held at a 42-year low of 4.6 percent in the three months to April 2017, in line with market expectations. The employment rate remained at an all-time high of 74.8 percent, as the number of people in work went up by 109 thousand. Meanwhile, total pay adjusted for price inflation decreased by 0.4 percent from the previous year, the biggest drop since the three months to September 2014.
Published on 2017-06-14

UK Jobless Rate Hits 42-Year Low
UK unemployment rate fell to 4.6 percent in the three months to March 2017 from 4.7 percent in the previous period and below market expectations of 4.7 percent. It was the lowest jobless rate since July of 1975. The employment rate rose to a fresh all-time high of 74.8 percent, as the number of people in work went up by 122 thousand. Meanwhile, excluding the bonuses, pay adjusted for price inflation decreased by 0.2 percent from the previous year, the first decline since the third quarter of 2014.
Published on 2017-05-17

UK Unemployment Rate Steady At Near 12-Year Low
UK unemployment rate held at an almost 12-year low of 4.7 percent in the three months to February 2017, in line with market expectations. The employment rate stood at an all-time high of 74.6 percent as the number of people in work rose by 39 thousand.
Published on 2017-04-12

UK Jobless Rate Hits Lowest Since 2005
UK unemployment rate fell to 4.7 percent in the period between November and January 2017 from 4.8 percent in the previous period and below market expectations of 4.8 percent. It was the lowest jobless rate since July to September 2005. The employment rate remained at all-time high of 74.6 percent as the number of people in work rose by 92 thousand while wage growth slowed.
Published on 2017-03-15



United Kingdom Labour Last Previous Highest Lowest Unit
Unemployment Rate 4.50 4.60 12.00 3.40 percent [+]
Employed Persons 30815.00 30746.00 30815.00 23187.00 Thousand [+]
Unemployed Persons 814.50 808.60 3090.00 422.60 Thousand [+]
Part Time Employment 8478.00 8454.00 8583.00 5995.00 Thousand [+]
Full Time Employment 23532.00 23500.00 23532.00 19136.00 Thousand [+]
Employment Rate 74.90 74.80 74.90 65.60 percent [+]
Claimant Count Change 5.90 7.70 142.80 -98.50 Thousand [+]
Labor Force Participation Rate 78.50 78.50 78.50 74.10 percent [+]
Long Term Unemployment Rate 1.20 1.30 4.30 0.90 percent [+]
Youth Unemployment Rate 12.20 12.30 22.30 9.70 percent [+]
Labour Costs 102.90 102.60 103.00 20.70 Index Points [+]
Productivity 101.80 102.40 102.40 44.60 Index Points [+]
Job Vacancies 774.00 770.00 777.00 432.00 Thousand [+]
Wages 503.00 502.00 503.00 300.00 GBP/Week [+]
Wages in Manufacturing 583.00 583.00 583.00 356.00 GBP/Week [+]
Wage Growth 1.80 2.10 6.60 -2.60 percent [+]
Minimum Wages 7.50 7.20 7.50 5.05 GBP/Hour [+]
Population 65.81 65.38 65.81 52.20 Million [+]
Retirement Age Women 63.50 63.00 63.50 60.00 [+]
Retirement Age Men 65.00 65.00 65.00 65.00 [+]
Wages Low Skilled 1190.00 1220.00 1260.00 1160.00 GBP/Month [+]
Wages High Skilled 2140.00 2190.00 2190.00 2040.00 GBP/Month [+]
Living Wage Family 1152.50 1141.20 1360.00 1006.10 GBP/Month [+]
Living Wage Individual 1043.60 1019.80 1043.60 878.80 GBP/Month [+]
Average Weekly Hours 32.10 32.20 33.50 31.30 Hours [+]
Employment Change 0.40 0.10 0.80 -0.90 percent [+]


United Kingdom Unemployment Rate Notes

In the United Kingdom, the unemployment rate measures the number of people actively looking for a job as a percentage of the labour force. This page provides the latest reported value for - United Kingdom Unemployment Rate - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news. United Kingdom Unemployment Rate - actual data, historical chart and calendar of releases - was last updated on July of 2017.

Actual Previous Highest Lowest Dates Unit Frequency
4.50 4.60 12.00 3.40 1971 - 2017 percent Monthly



unemployment rate by Country

Last
Spain 18.75 Mar/17
Brazil 13.30 May/17
Italy 11.30 May/17
Turkey 10.50 Apr/17
France 9.60 Mar/17
Euro Area 9.30 May/17
Canada 6.50 Jun/17
Australia 5.60 Jun/17
Indonesia 5.33 Mar/17
Russia 5.10 Jun/17
India 4.90 Dec/13
Netherlands 4.90 Jun/17
United Kingdom 4.50 May/17
United States 4.40 Jun/17
China 3.97 Mar/17
Germany 3.90 May/17
South Korea 3.80 Jun/17
Mexico 3.30 Jun/17
Japan 3.10 May/17
Switzerland 3.00 Jun/17