20 Apr 2016
UK jobless levels climb, wage growth remains subdued
The Office for National Statistics noted on Wednesday, the number of people unemployed in the UK increased 21,000 to 1.7 million q/q in February, increasing for the first time since the middle of 2015 while the UK’s official jobless rate held at a decade low of 5.1% during that period.
The number of people claiming jobless benefits rose 6,700 in March, after dropping a revised 9,300 in February, marking the first increase since August 2015. The claimant count rate stayed at 2.1%, the lowest since 1974.
Wage growth, excluding bonuses held steady at 2.2% q/q in Feb, while wages ex-bonuses unexpectedly dropped to 1.8%, the lowest since February last year, from 2.1% previous.
The number of people claiming jobless benefits rose 6,700 in March, after dropping a revised 9,300 in February, marking the first increase since August 2015. The claimant count rate stayed at 2.1%, the lowest since 1974.
Wage growth, excluding bonuses held steady at 2.2% q/q in Feb, while wages ex-bonuses unexpectedly dropped to 1.8%, the lowest since February last year, from 2.1% previous.