UK sees further employment growth
The number of people in work has risen by 378,000 over the last year to a record breaking 29.95 million.
The number of people in work has risen by 378,000 over the last year to a record breaking 29.95 million according to figures released by the Office for National Statistics this morning (13 November 2013).
UK nationals accounted for over 90% of the annual rise in employment, which was also dominated by more people in full-time, permanent, jobs.
Today’s figures also show a significant rise in the number of young people in work – up 50,000 over the last 3 months.
This employment growth was accompanied by a fall of 48,000 in the number of unemployed people over the last year.
There was also a fall in long term unemployment: 19,000 over the last 3 months.
Today’s figures also revealed that over the last year the UK has seen the largest annual fall in the number of people claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance in more than 15 years.
The number of young people claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance also fell – by 13,100 – the 17th consecutive monthly fall.
Minister for Employment Esther McVey said:
This government is delivering on its promise to rebalance the economy, promote job creation, and support people to get off benefits and into work.
Today’s figures show that the number of people in work has risen by more than a million under this government, with the growth driven by full-time private sector jobs.
At the same time, the number of people claiming the main out-of-work benefits has fallen by almost half a million. There’s more work to do, and we are not complacent, but these are all very positive signs.
Today’s figures also show that there are over half a million vacancies currently available in the UK economy - 62,000 more than a year ago.
Background to labour market statistics: November 2013
This month’s Labour Force Survey covers July to September 2013. The claimant count is for October 2013 and the ONS vacancy survey covers August to October 2013.
The number of people in work rose this quarter
The details are:
- 29.95 million people were in work in July to September 2013
- the employment level rose 177,000 on the previous quarter and 378,000 on the year
- the employment rate is 71.8%, up 0.3 points on the quarter and up 0.6 points on the year
ILO unemployment fell this quarter
The details are:
- 2.47 million people were ILO unemployed in the July to September 2013 quarter, down 48,000 on the previous quarter and on the year
- the ILO unemployment rate is 7.6%, down 0.2 points on the quarter and down 0.2 points on the year
The level of economic inactivity is down on the quarter and on the year
The details are:
- the economic inactivity level was 8.92 million in July to September 2013 quarter, down 69,000 on the previous quarter and 149,000 on the year
- the economic inactivity rate is 22.2%, down 0.2 points on the quarter and down 0.4 points on the year
- excluding students, inactivity as a share of the 16-64 population is 16.4%, down 0.1 points on the quarter and down 0.6 points on the year
The number of people on JSA fell this month, and the numbers claiming the other main out-of-work benefits is also improving
The details are:
- claimant unemployment was 1.31 million in October 2013, down 41,700 on the month and down 266,500 on the year
- the claimant count rate is 3.9%, down 0.1 points on the month and down 0.8 points on the year
- the benefits data continue to be affected by welfare reform, including re-assessment of existing claims for incapacity benefits and the equalisation of state pension age
- in the year to May 2013, the number claiming incapacity benefits fell 71,600 to 2.46 million – the most recent provisional figure for September 2013 suggests the caseload has stayed the same
- in the year to May 2013, the number of lone parents on Income Support fell 77,400 to 500,000 – the provisional figure for September 2013 is 495,000
The number of redundancies and unfilled vacancies both rose on the quarter
The details are:
- there were 124,000 redundancies in July to September 2013, up 1,000 on the previous quarter and down 4,000 on the year
- ONS vacancy survey estimates an average of 545,000 unfilled vacancies in the 3 months to October 2013, up 6,000 on the previous quarter and 62,000 on the year
Total weekly pay in September 2013 was up by 0.7% over the year
Growth in regular weekly pay, excluding bonuses, was up by 0.8% on the year.
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