Since February 2020, the number of payroll employees has fallen by 828,000; however, the larger falls were seen at the start of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Data from our Labour Force Survey (LFS) show a large increase in the unemployment rate while the employment rate continues to fall. The number of redundancies reached a record high in September to November 2020, although the weekly data show it has dropped from the peak in September. Although decreasing over the year, total hours worked increased from the low levels in the previous quarter, even with the September to November period covering a time when a ... (full story)

The U.K.’s unemployment rate climbed less than economists expected in the three months to November, as an extension of government aid helped protect some jobs amid a widespread lockdown. The rate rose to 5% in the period, lower than the 5.1% predicted by economists, but still the highest since 2016, the Office for National Statistics said Tuesday. The number of people in work fell by a smaller than expected 88,000. Still, by the end of December 828,000 people had lost their jobs since the crisis began, the figures showed, while redundancies hit a record level in November. The spike may have been more pronounced but ... (full story)