Unemployment
This coverage explores unemployment trends and their implications for the UK retail industry, providing analysis of labour market data, policy changes, and regional employment patterns. Reporting highlights how shifts in unemployment rates affect consumer spending, retail recruitment, operational planning, and workforce strategy — offering insights for executives, managers, and HR professionals navigating staffing challenges and responding to economic pressures.
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Jun- 2022 -14 JuneEconomy
UK unemployment rate hits almost 50-year low
The UK unemployment rate is close to a 50-year low point, having dropped by 0.2% to 3.8% for February to April 2022, and those unemployed for up to six months increased over this three-month period, marking the largest increase since late 2020. According to the Office for National Statistics, the…
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Feb- 2022 -15 FebruaryEconomy
UK labour market sees recovery as unemployment falls to 4.1%
The UK labour market has seen “continuing recovery” as the unemployment rate decreased by 0.2% on the quarter to 4.1%, and employment rates increased by 0.1% in November 2021 to January 2022 to 75.5%. According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), the ratio of vacancies to every 100 employee…
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Aug- 2021 -17 AugustEconomy
Unemployment falls to 4.7% as job vacancies hit record high
UK unemployment fell to 4.7% for the quarter to 30 June 2021, a drop of 0.2% when compared to the previous three month period. According to the ONS, this was coupled by a 0.3% rise in the UK employment rate to 75.1% in the same period, closing the gap with…
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Jan- 2021 -26 JanuaryCoronavirus
Unemployment rises 5% to 1.7m
The UK unemployment rate rose by 5% in the three months to November with over 1.7 million people now out of work, according to the latest figures by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Since February 2020, the number of payroll employees has fallen by 828,000, however, the ONS said…
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Oct- 2020 -13 OctoberEconomy
UK unemployment rises to 4.5%
The UK unemployment rate increased to 4.5% during the three months from July to August, the highest level in over three years. According to the latest figures from the office of National Statistics (ONS), the total number of unemployed increased by 138,000 to 1.58 million people. It comes as over…
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Sep- 2020 -15 SeptemberCoronavirus
Unemployment rate rises to 4.1% in July
The rate of unemployment in the UK increased 0.2% to 4.1% in the two months to July 2020, according to the ONS. The UK economic inactivity rate was also estimated at a joint record low of 20.2%, 0.6 percentage points lower than the previous year and 0.3 percentage points lower…
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Apr- 2020 -28 AprilCoronavirus
UK economy not expected to recover until 2023, study suggests
The UK’s economy is not expected to return to normal until 2023 due to the coronavirus pandemic, according to a new report issued by economic forecasting group EY Item Club. The group has warned that it is likely to take three years for the UK economy to return to the…
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21 AprilCoronavirus
11.7 million people at risk of furlough or unemployment over coming months
Almost 11.7 million people could be furloughed or unemployed in the coming months, according to new research from independent think-tank Resolution Foundation (RF). The group said that although the UK Government’s Job Retention Scheme (JRS) will “substantially limit” the growth of unemployment, it added the “evidence is clear” that the…
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