This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-25428119
The article has changed 8 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| UK unemployment rate at lowest since 2009 | UK unemployment rate at lowest since 2009 |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The UK unemployment rate has fallen to its lowest level since 2009, official figures show. | The UK unemployment rate has fallen to its lowest level since 2009, official figures show. |
| At 7.4%, this is the lowest rate since the February-to-April period in 2009, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said. | At 7.4%, this is the lowest rate since the February-to-April period in 2009, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said. |
| This compares with a figure of 7.6% for the three months to September, and is below the rate analysts had expected. | This compares with a figure of 7.6% for the three months to September, and is below the rate analysts had expected. |
| The number of people out of work fell by 99,000 to 2.39 million in the three months to October, the ONS said. | The number of people out of work fell by 99,000 to 2.39 million in the three months to October, the ONS said. |
| Employment minister Esther McVey told the BBC: "When people said unemployment would rise, when they said there would be a double dip economy, that did not happen. The reverse has happened. | Employment minister Esther McVey told the BBC: "When people said unemployment would rise, when they said there would be a double dip economy, that did not happen. The reverse has happened. |
| "So it's tough, it's slow, but we're going in the right direction." | "So it's tough, it's slow, but we're going in the right direction." |
| David Tinsley, UK economist at BNP Paribas said the UK labour market was "showing spectacular strength". | |
| Record low | Record low |
| The Bank of England has said it will not consider raising interest rates from their record low of 0.5% until the unemployment rate falls to 7%. | The Bank of England has said it will not consider raising interest rates from their record low of 0.5% until the unemployment rate falls to 7%. |
| But even then, governor Mark Carney has said an interest rate increase is not guaranteed. | But even then, governor Mark Carney has said an interest rate increase is not guaranteed. |
| The ONS data also showed that the number of people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance in November fell by 36,700 to 1.27 million. | The ONS data also showed that the number of people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance in November fell by 36,700 to 1.27 million. |
| The number of people aged 16 and over who are in work was 30.09 million, up 250,000 compared with May to July period. | The number of people aged 16 and over who are in work was 30.09 million, up 250,000 compared with May to July period. |
| The percentage of the workforce in the public sector - 18.8% of those in employment, or 5.7 million people - fell to its lowest rate since the current data series began in 1999. | |
| Living standards | Living standards |
| Average weekly earnings growth, including bonuses, picked up by 0.9% in the three months to October compared with a year earlier, the ONS said, a slight improvement on the three months to September. | Average weekly earnings growth, including bonuses, picked up by 0.9% in the three months to October compared with a year earlier, the ONS said, a slight improvement on the three months to September. |
| Excluding bonuses, pay grew by 0.8%. | Excluding bonuses, pay grew by 0.8%. |
| But this is still well below the level of inflation - currently running at 2.1% - meaning that people's living standards are still falling in real terms. | But this is still well below the level of inflation - currently running at 2.1% - meaning that people's living standards are still falling in real terms. |