WGPlus (Archive)

Compare these figures to those of southern countries in EU

Unemployment has dropped to its lowest rate since 2005 while the employment rate has stayed at a record high of 74.2%.  Official figures from the Office for National Statistics show the unemployment rate now stands at 5.0% and there are nearly 31.6m people in work.

There are nearly half-a-million more people in work compared to a year ago, with wages before bonuses up by 2.3% in the same period.  The growth in employment is being driven by full-time work.  At 5.6%, the proportion of 16 to 24 year olds who have left full-time education and are unemployed has never been lower

Researched Links:

DWP:  Unemployment down as more people in work than ever before

Wales Office:  Unemployment down as Welsh jobs market out performs the UK

ScotGov:  Decrease in unemployment

WAG:  "The improving employment rate in Wales continues to outperform all other parts of the UK" - Carwyn Jones

Telegraph:  Mapped; Europe divided - how the jobless disease is splitting the continent apart

It would be deplorable if recent improvements were ‘lost’

Facing the Future...find out more