Unemployment continues to fall


In the three-month period ending January 2019, the number of unemployed people fell by 35,000 — to 1.34 million from 1.37 million in the period ending October. 


The decrease was enough to cut the unemployment rate to 3.9% from 4.1%. 


The number of unemployed men fell by 16,000 to 728,000, cutting their unemployment rate to 4.0% from 4.1%. Meanwhile, the number of unemployed women fell by 19,000 to 611,000 and their unemployment rate was cut to 3.8% from 4.0%.


In age terms, the decrease was biased towards the middle age group — those aged 25 to 49 — with a 50,000 fall to 546,000. 


However, at both ends of the age scale numbers rose. There was a 10,000 rise in older workers — those aged 50 plus — taking their total to 293,000. But their unemployment rate remained at 2.7%. And there was a 9,000 increase in young workers — those aged 18-24 — taking their total to 409,000. Their unemployment rate was up to 10.4% from 10.2%.


In February 2019, unemployment under the claimant count — the other main official unemployment measure — was 1.04 million, a 14,200 increase on the revised total of 1.01 million for January. But the joblessness rate remained at 2.9%. This measure only includes those receiving Jobseeker’s Allowance and those on Universal Credit.

https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/employmentandemployeetypes/bulletins/uklabourmarket/march2019