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UK unemployment falls again UK unemployment in further fall
(35 minutes later)
UK unemployment fell by 16,000 to 1.62 million in the three months to October, according to the Office for National Statistics. UK unemployment fell by 16,000 to 1.62 million in the three months to October, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
The unemployment rate held steady at 4.8% in the same period.The unemployment rate held steady at 4.8% in the same period.
Average weekly earnings excluding bonuses rose by 2.6% in the year to October - slightly higher than the previous month.Average weekly earnings excluding bonuses rose by 2.6% in the year to October - slightly higher than the previous month.
The UK has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the European Union.The UK has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the European Union.
"The labour market appears to have flattened off in recent months," said ONS senior statistician David Freeman. The number of women in work reached a record high of almost 15 million - an employment rate of nearly 70%, the best since records began in 1971.
The number of people in work remains high, but is "slightly down on the record set recently", he said. In total, there were 31.76 million people in work, which was "slightly down on the record set recently", said ONS senior statistician David Freeman.
He added that the small fall in unemployment was more than offset by a rise in economic inactivity, which measures people without a job who are not seeking or available to work. "The labour market appears to have flattened off in recent months," he said.
Fewer people also looked for work, leading to a rise in economic inactivity, which measures people without a job who are not seeking or available to work.
There were 8.91 million people of working age who were economically inactive - 76,000 higher than in the previous period.There were 8.91 million people of working age who were economically inactive - 76,000 higher than in the previous period.
"The combination of the weakest employment data since mid-2015 and the fastest wage gains since June will raise eyebrows, but it probably is not as alarming as it might seem," said Ian Shepherdson, chief economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics.
"The employment data are very erratic and sudden swings, in either direction, are not unusual."
The Bank of England and other economists have forecast that unemployment is set to rise amid uncertainty over Brexit.
"Today's data provides the clearest evidence yet that the jobs market has started to cool off since the Brexit vote," said John Hawksworth, chief economist at PwC.
The employment figures are based on the Labour Force Survey, in which the ONS speaks to about 40,000 households once every three months.
That is a very large survey, but it still means the figures are not precise.
The ONS is 95% confident that the figure of a 16,000 fall in unemployment is accurate give or take 81,000. That means that the fall in unemployment is not statistically significant.