Member Article

UK employment rate back at pre-recession levels

According to official figures from the Government, a record-breaking 30.8 million people in work, with the employment rate (73.0%) now back to pre-recession levels.

Compared to 2010 there are over 2 million more people in private sector jobs, showing that the Government’s long-term economic plan to create jobs by backing businesses is working.

Since 2010 two-thirds of the rise in employment has been in managerial, professional or associate professional occupations.

The figures from the Office for National Statistics show that 694,000 more people are in jobs compared to this time last year.

Employment increased by 112,000 over the last three months alone, with the vast majority of the increase coming from people in full-time jobs.

Youth unemployment fell by nearly a quarter of a million over the last year. The number of 18-24 year olds claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance has been falling for the last 35 months and is the lowest since the 1970s.

Excluding full-time students, the number of unemployed young people is now 163,000 lower than in 2010.

There are also reportedly record numbers of women in work, and since 2010 three quarters of the rise in female employment has come from managerial, professional and associate professional occupations. .

Employment Minister Esther McVey said: “Record numbers of people in work means more people with the security of a regular wage who are better able to support themselves and their families.

“With the vast majority of the rise in employment over the last year being full-time, it’s clear that thanks to the Government’s long-term economic plan, we are helping businesses to create the jobs that people need.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Clare Burnett .