Labour Market Statistics, May 2014
14 May 2014 05:08 PM
Key
Points
- Latest estimates for January to March 2014 show that
employment continued to increase, unemployment continued to fall, as did 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 30.43 million people in work for January to
March 2014, 283,000 more than for October to December 2013 and 722,000 more
than a year earlier. These increases in employment are partly due to more
self-employed people.
- 72.7% of people aged from 16 to 64 were in work for
January to March 2014, up from 72.1% for October to December 2013 and up from
71.4% for a year earlier.
- There were 2.21 million unemployed people for January to
March 2014, 133,000 fewer than for October to December 2013 and 309,000 fewer
than a year earlier.
- The
unemployment rate was 6.8% of the economically active population (those in work
plus those seeking and available to work) for January to March 2014, down from
7.2% for October to December 2013 and down from 7.8% for a year
earlier.
- There were 8.85 million economically inactive people
(those out of work but not seeking or available to work) aged from 16 to 64 for
January to March 2014. This was 85,000 fewer than for October to December 2013
and 155,000 fewer than a year earlier.
- 21.9% of people aged from 16 to 64 were economically
inactive for January to March 2014, down from 22.1% for October to December
2013 and down from 22.4% for a year earlier. The inactivity rate has not been
lower since October to December 1990.
- Pay
including bonuses for employees in Great Britain for January to March 2014 was
1.7% higher than a year earlier, with pay excluding bonuses 1.3%
higher.