UK Unemployment Down To 4.6% In May-July 2021, Number Of Payroll Employees Rising - ONS

Unemployment in the United Kingdom is showing signs of recovery as the spread of COVID-19 is subsiding, the UK's Office for National Statistics (ONS) announced on Tuesday

LONDON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 14th September, 2021) Unemployment in the United Kingdom is showing signs of recovery as the spread of COVID-19 is subsiding, the UK's Office for National Statistics (ONS) announced on Tuesday.

"In the latest period (May to July 2021), there was a quarterly increase in the employment rate of 0.5 percentage points, to 75.2%, and a decrease in the unemployment rate of 0.3 percentage points, to 4.6%. The economic inactivity rate is down 0.3 percentage points on the previous quarter, to 21.1%," the ONS said in its Tuesday report.

Nonetheless, according to the release, average unemployment among those over the age of 16 in the UK stood at 1.55 million in May-July, which is an increase of 152,000 over the same period last year.

"The number of job vacancies in June to August 2021 was 1,034,000, which is the first time vacancies have risen over 1 million since records began, and is now 249,000 above its pre-pandemic January to March 2020 level.

Vacancies grew on the quarter in June to August 2021 by 269,300 (35.2%)," the ONS said.

Average total pay (including bonuses) showed 8.3 percent growth in May-July this year (up 6.8 percent excluding bonuses).

"The number of payroll employees showed another monthly increase, up 241,000 to 29.1 million in August 2021, returning to pre-coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic (February 2020) levels. All regions except London, Scotland and South East are now above pre-pandemic levels," the ONS said.

The number of job vacancies in the United Kingdom went up from 764,000 in March-May 2021 to 1.03 million in June-August of this year. The largest job demand was observed in the hotel and restaurant sector.