UK Labour Market June 2019 (ONS)

The latest labour market data from the ONS showed the number of people in work continued to increase in the three months to May, while the number of unemployed people and the number of people aged from 16 to 64 years not working and not seeking nor available to work (economically inactive) both fell compared to the previous year.

The unemployment rate remained at 3.8%, and has not been lower since Q4 1974 and is lower than the 4.2% rise a year earlier. The unemployment rate for women continued to fall and now stands at 3.6% - the lowest on record. This compares to 4.0% for men which is lower than the 4.2% rise in the previous year.

In the three months to May, the number of people in employment rose by 28,000 on the previous period and by 354,000 on the previous year.

For April to June, there were an estimated 827,000 job vacancies in the UK – down 9,000 on the previous year and 19,000 fewer compared to the previous period. The retail sector accounted for around 10.9% of all vacancies in the UK in the three months to June.

Number of vacancies in the UK, seasonally adjusted, April to June 2001 to March to May 2019

The employment rate for people aged 16 to 64 years old fell marginally to 76.0% in the three months to May. This was 0.1 percentage point lower on the quarter – the first quarterly decrease since the three months to August 2018 but it remained higher than the rise in the previous year (75.6%).

Latest estimates show that average weekly earnings for employees in Great Britain increased by 3.6% excluding bonuses and 3.4% including bonuses. This means that real earnings are currently growing at around 1.7%.

Great Britain average weekly earnings annual growth rates, seasonally adjusted, January to March 2001 to February to April 2019

Source: ONS

For May 2019 in nominal terms (that is, not adjusted for price inflation):

average regular pay (excluding bonuses) for employees in Great Britain was £503 per week before tax and other deductions from pay, up from £485 per week for a year earlier

average total pay (including bonuses) for employees in Great Britain was £536 per week before tax and other deductions from pay, up from £516 per week for a year earlier

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