Unemployment at seven-year low


The UK unemployment rate fell to a seven-year low in September, figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show. 


The number of unemployed people under the Labour Force Survey count fell by 103,000 to 1.75 million in the three months to September. 


The unemployment rate was down to 5.3%, the lowest jobless rate since the second quarter of 2008, according to the ONS. 


The number of unemployed men fell by 58,000 to 957,000 and their unemployment rate was cut to 5.4% from 5.8%. 


The number of unemployed women was down to 793,000 on the back of a 45,000 cut in their numbers and their unemployment rate was down to 5.1% from 5.5%.


The claimant count only includes claimants of employment-related-benefits, people claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance and the means-tested Universal Credit. 


In October, unemployment under this count increased by 3,300 to 795,500. However, the joblessness rate remained at 2.3%. 


Male claimant numbers were up by 1,200 to 515,600, but their joblessness rate remained at 2.8%. Female claimant numbers were up by 2,100 to 279,900 and their joblessness rate was steady at 1.7%.

http://ons.gov.uk/ons/dcp171778_421089.pdf