Press release

Record numbers of people in work as employment rises by 80,000 in 3 months

Latest employment figures from the Office for National Statistics: September 2013.

From:
Department for Work and Pensions
Published
11 September 2013
This was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government

There are now 80,000 more people in work – with all of the increase coming from full time jobs – according to figures released today by the Office for National Statistics.

The growth was driven by further increases in private sector employment, which rose by 114,000 over the last 3 months – more than offsetting the 34,000 fall in public sector employment.

Employment growth was accompanied by a 24,000 fall in unemployment this quarter. Unemployment in the UK is now lower than it was in early 2010, and significantly lower than the EU average.

Today’s figures also showed:

  • the number of young people claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance fell for the 15th month in a row

  • there was a drop of more than 6,000 in the number of people claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance for more than 12 months

  • the number of people claiming the main out of work benefits is down by over 400,000 since the election – with total worklessness down by 454,000

  • youth unemployment is 57,000 lower than this time last year

Minister for Employment Mark Hoban said:

This is a really encouraging set of figures, with the number of people in work rocketing by 80,000 in only 3 months – a rise driven entirely by a growth in full time jobs.

The private sector has created jobs for 1.4m more people under this government, and there are now more people employed in the private sector than ever before.

These are all positive signs that suggest the UK economy is turning the corner.

Background to labour market statistics: September 2013

This month’s Labour Force Survey covers May to July 2013. The claimant count is for August 2013 and the vacancy count for June to August 2013.

The number of people in work rose this quarter to a record high

The details include:

  • 29.84 million people were in work in May to July 2013

  • the employment level rose 80,000 on the previous quarter and 275,000 on the year

  • the employment rate is 71.6%, up 0.2 points on the quarter and up 0.4 points on the year

ILO unemployment fell this quarter

The details include:

  • 2.49 million people were ILO unemployed in the May to July 2013 quarter, down 24,000 on the previous quarter and 105,000 on the year

  • the ILO unemployment rate is 7.7%, down 0.1 points on the quarter and down 0.4 points on the year

The level of economic inactivity is down on the quarter and on the year

The details include:

  • the economic inactivity level is 8.96 million in the May to July 2013 quarter, down 33,000 on the previous quarter and 52,000 on the year

  • the economic inactivity rate is 22.3%, down 0.1 points on the quarter and down 0.2 points on the year

  • excluding students, inactivity as a share of the 16 to 64 year old population is 16.5%, down 0.3 points on the quarter and down 0.6 points on the year

The number of people on JSA fell this month, and the number claiming one of the other main out-of-work benefits is also improving

The details include:

  • claimant unemployment was 1,401,800 in August 2013, down 32,600 on the month and down 168,100 on the year

  • the claimant count rate is 4.2%, down 0.1 points on the month and down 0.5 points on the year

  • the benefits data continues to be affected by welfare reform, including re-assessment of existing claims for incapacity benefits and the equalisation of the state pension age. This is likely to have added to the JSA caseload between July and August

  • in the year to February 2013, the number claiming incapacity benefits fell 82,000 to 2.48 million. The most recent provisional figure for July 2013 suggests the caseload has since fallen further to 2.44 million

  • in the year to February 2013, the number of lone parents on income support fell 79,000 to 505,000. The provisional figure for July 2013 is 500,000

The number of redundancies fell and unfilled vacancies rose on the quarter

The details include:

  • there were 121,000 redundancies in May to July 2013, down 20,000 on the previous quarter and down 21,000 on the year

  • ONS’ vacancy survey estimates an average of 531,000 unfilled vacancies in the three months to August 2013, up 7,000 on the previous quarter and 53,000 on the year

Total weekly pay in July 2013 was up by 1.1% over the year

The details include:

  • growth in regular weekly pay, excluding bonuses, was up by 1.0% on the year

Full Labour Market Statistics, September 2013

The full Labour Market Statistics, September 2013 are available on the Office for National Statistics website.

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Published 11 September 2013

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