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Employment has biggest rise in a generation: 30.39 million people are in work.

Posted: 16th April 2014 10:57
Latest estimates for December 2013 to February 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.

At 2.24 million for December 2013 to February 2014, unemployment was 77,000 lower than for September to November 2013 and 320,000 lower than a year earlier.

The unemployment rate was 6.9% of the labour force (those unemployed plus those employed) for December 2013 to February 2014, down from 7.1% for September to November 2013 and from 7.9% for a year earlier.

At 30.39 million for December 2013 to February 2014, employment was 239,000 higher than for September to November 2013 and 691,000 higher than a year earlier.

72.6% of people aged 16 to 64 were in work for December 2013 to February 2014, up from 72.1% for September to November 2013 and from 71.4% for a year earlier.

8.85 million people aged 16 to 64 were economically inactive (those out of work but not seeking or available to work) for December 2013 to February 2014. This was 86,000 lower than for September to November 2013 and 104,000 lower than a year earlier.

21.9% of people aged 16 to 64 were economically inactive for December 2013 to February 2014, down from 22.2% from both September to November 2013 and from a year earlier. The rate has not been lower since October to December 1990.
Pay including bonuses for employees in Great Britain for December 2013 to February 2014 was 1.7% higher than a year earlier, with pay excluding bonuses 1.4% higher.

Summary of latest Labour Market Statistics

Comparing December 2013 to February 2014 with September to November 2013, the number of people in employment increased by 239,000 (to 30.39 million), the number of unemployed people fell by 77,000 (to 2.24 million) and the number of people not in the labour force (economically inactive) aged from 16 to 64 fell by 86,000 (to 8.85 million).
Historical Context

Since the early 1970s the proportion of women in employment has increased and the proportion of men in employment has fallen, as shown by Chart 1, which shows the employment rates for men and women aged from 16 to 64 since comparable records began in 1971.

For more information, visit: http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/dcp171778_357545.pdf