April Labour Market Update

This month’s data suggests that the labour market is beginning to weaken but the main reason for this is the number of people who were previously not looking for work (‘inactive’) now searching for a job, rather than a significant rise in people losing their jobs.

The inactivity rate fell by 0.2 percentage points over the quarter accounting for 81 per cent of the total increase in unemployment over the quarter. At 22.2 per cent the inactivity rate is now at its lowest point since 1991.

Download the briefing or see the labour market update latest data:

• The 10 cities hardest hit, and 10 least bad
• Full city breakdown
• Youth unemployment