Unemployment falls by 52,000


Unemployment is at its lowest for eight years, according to official figures.


Under the Labour Force Survey count, unemployment was down by 52,000 to 1.64 million in the three-month period ending June compared with the previous period. It was last lower in May 2008


The unemployment rate was cut to 4.9% from 5.1%.


The number of unemployed men fell by 27,000 to 890,000, and their unemployment rate was down to 5.0% from 5.2%. The number of unemployed women fell by 25,000 to 750,000, enough to cut their unemployment rate to 4.8% from the previous period’s 5.0%.


TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady said there was no room for complacency as “the Bank of England has warned of a risk to jobs from Brexit”. 


“The government should heed that warning, and take action so that working people don’t pay the price for leaving the EU,” O’Grady said. “That means seriously investing in infrastructure all over the UK.” 


The other main measure — the claimant count — only includes claimants of Jobseeker’s Allowance and those on the means-tested Universal Credit. In July, unemployment under the claimant count was cut by 8,500 to 763,600 from 772,200 in June.

https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peoplenotinwork/unemployment