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Release: Labour Market Statistics, May 2012

Released: 16 May 2012 Next edition: 20 June 2012
  • The employment rate for those aged from 16 to 64 was 70.5 per cent for January-March 2012, up 0.2 on the quarter. There were 29.23 million people in employment aged 16 and over, up 105,000 on the quarter. The quarterly increase in employment was entirely due to more part-time workers.

  • The unemployment rate was 8.2 per cent of the economically active population for January-March 2012, down 0.2 on the quarter. There were 2.63 million unemployed people, down 45,000 on the quarter.

  • The inactivity rate for those aged from 16 to 64 was 23.0 per cent for January-March 2012, down 0.1 on the quarter. There were 9.25 million economically inactive people aged from 16 to 64, down 35,000 on the quarter.

  • For January-March 2012, total pay (including bonuses) rose by 0.6 per cent on a year earlier. This is the lowest growth rate since March-May 2009 and it is down 0.5 on the three months to February 2012. Regular pay (excluding bonuses) rose by 1.6 per cent on a year earlier, unchanged on the three months to February 2012. 

This release contains the latest estimates of labour market statistics (including employment, unemployment and economic inactivity) for the United Kingdom.

There is a pdf version of the Labour Market Statistics, May 2012 Statistical Bulletin which includes summary data tables.

There is a separate release on this website for Regional Labour Market Statistics.

More detailed Labour Market statistics, particularly at regional and local area level, are available on the NOMIS website .

These National Statistics are produced to high professional standards and released according to the arrangements approved by the UK Statistics Authority.

Content from the Office for National Statistics.
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