The unemployment rate in Britain reached 4.9% during the period from May to July 2026, indicating a 0.2% increase compared to the same period last year. Official data shows that the number of unemployed individuals aged 16 and over reached 1.8 million, an increase of 83,000 from last year.
Decrease in employment rate and increase in number of employed
The employment rate in Britain decreased by 0.1% to 75.1% in the latest quarter. Despite this decrease, the number of employed individuals aged 16 and over increased by 243,000 compared to last year, reaching 34.5 million. This contradiction between the increase in the number of employed and the decrease in the employment rate highlights the complexities of the British labor market.
Economic activity rate and layoffs
The economic inactivity rate for individuals aged 16 to 64 also decreased to 20.9%, which has been observed both annually and quarterly. The total number of economically inactive individuals reached 9.1 million, showing an increase of 12,000 compared to last year. Additionally, the number of layoffs reached 114,000, which is an increase of 10,000 from last year.
These statistics clearly indicate the challenges present in the British labor market. Despite the increase in the number of employed, the unemployment and economic inactivity rates remain at a significant level. This issue requires attention and appropriate measures from policymakers and economic authorities.
