Unemployment drops by a further 75,000 in the three months to July 2017

Main points for May to July 2017

• Estimates from the Labour Force Survey show that, between February to April 2017 and May to July 2017, the number of people in work increased, the number of unemployed people fell, and the number of people aged from 16 to 64 not working and not seeking or available to work (economically inactive) also fell.

• There were 32.14 million people in work, 181,000 more than for February to April 2017 and 379,000 more than for a year earlier.

• The employment rate (the proportion of people aged from 16 to 64 who were in work) was 75.3%, the highest since comparable records began in 1971.

• There were 1.46 million unemployed people (people not in work but seeking and available to work), 75,000 fewer than for February to April 2017 and 175,000 fewer than for a year earlier.

• The unemployment rate (the proportion of those in work plus those unemployed, that were unemployed) was 4.3%, down from 4.9% for a year earlier and the lowest since 1975.

• There were 8.74 million people aged from 16 to 64 who were economically inactive (not working and not seeking or available to work), 107,000 fewer than for February to April 2017 and 96,000 fewer than for a year earlier.

• The inactivity rate (the proportion of people aged from 16 to 64 who were economically inactive) was 21.2%, down from 21.6% for a year earlier and the lowest since comparable records began in 1971.

• Latest estimates show that average weekly earnings for employees in Great Britain in nominal terms (that is, not adjusted for price inflation) increased by 2.1%, both including and excluding bonuses, compared with a year earlier.

• Latest estimates show that average weekly earnings for employees in Great Britain in real terms (that is, adjusted for price inflation) fell by 0.4%, both including and excluding bonuses, compared with a year earlier.
  
  
  LABOUR MARKET STATISTICS - SEP 2017