Employment rate lowest since 1975
In those three months, the unemployment rate was 4.4%, down from 4.9% from a year earlier – and the lowest in 42 years – according to the National Office for Statistics.
Figures also showed 32.07m people are in work, 338,000 more than a year earlier, compared to 1.48m unemployed people – 57,000 fewer than for January to March 2017 and 157,000 fewer than a year earlier.
Other statistics showed 883,000 people in employment on zero-hours contracts in their main job – 20,000 fewer than a year earlier.
However, the latest estimates have revealed that average weekly earnings for employees in Great Britain, in real terms, fell by 0.5%.
Highlights ‘importance of future immigration policy’
Commenting on the figures, Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers (ALMR) chief executive Kate Nicholls said: “The low rate of unemployment highlights how vitally important it is that future immigration policy, and the Government’s deal on Brexit, enables employers to continue recruiting from outside the UK.
“There simply isn’t the pool of unemployed people in the UK to fill vacancies and allow businesses to grow.”
Nicholls added that hospitality must be able to “easily access” non-UK labour if this economically valuable sector is to “continue to contribute to the UK’s economy”.
‘Not so positive’ for business
Jan Chmiel, managing director of Vistage, the international membership organisation for business leaders, added: “Such low levels of unemployment should have the country jumping for joy.
“However, the reality of this for UK businesses may not be so positive.
“This historically low unemployment means businesses have to fight for the best talent, offering significant honey traps to entice them to join their business.
“With inflation outstripping wage increases, this leads to more complications with existing employees fighting for more money in order to keep on top of the cost of living.”
