UK unemployment rate estimated at 4.7% in Mar-May 2025: ONS

Both figures were above estimates of a year ago, and up in the latest quarter.

The number of payrolled employees in the United Kingdom fell by around 0.4 per cent year on year (YoY) and 0.1 per cent month on month (MoM) in May this year.

In March-May 2025, the number of payrolled employees in the country fell by 0.3 per cent YoY and 0.2 per cent quarter on quarter (QoQ).

Their number decreased by 0.6 per cent YoY and 0.1 per cent MoM in June this year, according to provisional estimates.

The UK economic inactivity rate for people aged 16 to 64 was estimated at 21 per cent in the March-May 2025 quarter.

The estimated number of vacancies in the country fell by 56,000 QoQ to 727,000 in April-June 2025. This is the 36th consecutive period where vacancy numbers have dropped compared with the previous three months, with vacancies decreasing in 14 of the 18 industry sectors.

Feedback from the office’s vacancy survey suggests some firms may not be recruiting new workers, or replacing workers who have left, an ONS release said.

ALCHEMPro News Desk (DS)