Highest Dec 2022-Feb 2023 UK employment rate estimate in South West

The largest year on year (YoY) rise in the employment rate during the three-month period was in the North East—up by 2.9 percentage points, with the West Midlands and Wales both witnessing the largest decreases of 1.8 percentage points.

For the same duration, the highest unemployment rate estimate was in London (4.7 per cent) and the lowest was in the South West (2.3 per cent).

The East of England had the largest YoY increase in the unemployment rate, increasing by 0.9 percentage points, with the North East seeing the largest decrease of 1.1 percentage points.

The highest economic inactivity rate estimate in the country was in Northern Ireland (26.2 per cent) and the lowest was in the South East (17.7 per cent).

The West Midlands saw the largest YoY increase in economic inactivity rate—up by 2.2 percentage points, with the North East and Northern Ireland both seeing the largest decreases of 2.2 percentage points, an ONS release said.

There has been a slowing in the growth in the number of payrolled employees across the first three months this year, with some regions having decreases in individual months.

Although all regions have shown growth since the end of 2022, this has been stronger in the south of England and Northern Ireland than the rest of the United Kingdom.

ALCHEMPro News Desk (DS)