WIREDGOV

Key Points for February to April 2014

• Comparing February to April 2014 with November 2013 to January 2014, there was a large increase in employment and a large fall in unemployment. There was a further fall in the number of economically inactive people aged from 16 to 64. These changes continue the general direction of movement over the past two years.
• There were 30.54 million people in work, 345,000 more than for November 2013 to January 2014 and 780,000 more than a year earlier.
• 72.9% of people aged from 16 to 64 were in work, up from 72.3% for November 2013 to January 2014 and up from 71.5% a year earlier. The latest figure of 72.9%, for February to April 2014, is 0.1 percentage point lower than before the downturn of 2008-09.
• There were 2.16 million unemployed people, 161,000 fewer than for November 2013 to January 2014 and 347,000 fewer than a year earlier.
• The unemployment rate was 6.6% of the economically active population (those in work plus those seeking and available to work), down from 7.2% for November 2013 to January 2014 and down from 7.8% a year earlier.
• There were 8.82 million economically inactive people (those out of work but not seeking or available to work) aged from 16 to 64. This was 80,000 fewer than for November 2013 to January 2014 and 178,000 fewer than a year earlier.
• 21.8% of people aged from 16 to 64 were economically inactive, down from 22.1% for November 2013 to January 2014 and down from 22.4% for a year earlier. The latest figure of 21.8%, for February to April 2014, is the lowest since 1990.
• Pay including bonuses for employees in Great Britain for February to April 2014 was 0.7% higher than a year earlier, with pay excluding bonuses 0.9% higher.