UK unemployment rate edges down unexpectedly as number in work hits record high
Official figures show that Britain’s unemployment rate has fallen unexpectedly as the number of people in work hit a record high and rose past its pre-pandemic level for the first time
By AP News
Published - Jun 13, 2023, 03:00 AM ET
Last Updated - Jun 21, 2023, 09:08 AM EDT
LONDON (AP) — Official figures show that Britain’s unemployment rate has fallen unexpectedly as the number of people in work hit a record high and rose past its pre-pandemic level for the first time.
The Office for National Statistics said Tuesday that the jobless rate fell to 3.8% in the three months to April, from 3.9% in the previous quarter. Most economists were expecting the rate to edge up to 4%.
As the unemployment rate fell, the agency said, the country's employment rate rose to 76% from 75.9%, with the number of people in work at an all-time high of 33.1 million.
Darren Morgan, director of economic statistics at the agency, said the “biggest driver” in recent jobs growth is health and social care, followed by hospitality.
