UK sees record employment as unemployment falls below 4 per cent

The UK’s record jobs market continued into 2019 with 473,000 more people in work in January compared to a year ago, while the UK’s employment rate reached an all-time high of 76.1%.

New figures show that wages continued to outstrip inflation for twelve months in a row.

Northern Powerhouse Minister, Jake Berry MP, welcomed the figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), which also showed unemployment falling below 4% for the first time since the mid-1970’s.

Mr Berry, MP for Rossendale, said: “More people in work and falling unemployment is great news for the people of the North West and the whole Northern Powerhouse. Today’s figures show the results of the Government investing in communities across the North to ensure everyone has the opportunity to reach their full potential.

“We are determined to do even more which is why people across the North West will benefit from £281 million as part of the new Stronger Towns Fund to create jobs, provide training and boost economic growth.”

Companies are driving the growth, with private sector employment up by 3.8 million since 2010. The figures also revealed a higher rate of women in work than ever before.

The data also shows job opportunities continue to be out there, so find your perfect job via Rochdale Online:

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*Employment rate: The number of people in employment in the UK is measured by the Labour Force Survey (LFS) and consists of people aged 16 and over who did one hour or more of paid work per week (as an employee or self-employed), those who had a job that they were temporarily away from, those on government-supported training and employment programmes, and those doing unpaid family work. 

Employment is a different, but similar, concept to jobs. Employment is a measure of people, and a person with more than one job would therefore be counted once in the employment estimates.