MNI BRIEF: UK Labour Market Strong, But Signs Of Weakening
UK nominal wages continue to rise and jobs still added, but September sees signs of slowdown.
UK unemployment rose in the three months to September, the Office for National Statistics said Tuesday, with the ILO rate rising to 3.6% from 3.5% in August. The increase was driven in part by participation rates, but also by a single month increase to 3.8% in September, a spokesperson for the stats office said.
“The proportion of people neither working nor looking for work has risen again. Since the onset of the pandemic, this shift has largely been caused by older workers leaving the labour market altogether, but in the most recent quarter the main contribution has actually come from younger groups, Darren Morgan, ONS director of labour said.
Wages also rose in nominal terms, with average earnings excluding bonuses at 5.7%, up from a revised 5.5% in August. However, with inflation continuing to rise at a near double digit rate, real pay continues to suffer, falling 3.8% y/y with bonuses and 3.7% y/y ex-bonuses. The Bank of England continues to watch the labour market and wages in particular closely as it assesses the second round effects. (MNI INTERVIEW: UK Economic Inactivity Rise Likely To Persist)