RECORD 32.7M NOW IN WORK

Jobless rate lowest since ’75 & pay up

A RECORD 32.7million people in the UK now have jobs.

It is the highest total since records began in 1971 after employment jumped by 222,000 to 76.1% in the three months to January.

And average earnings increased by 3.4% in the past 12 months, outpacing inflation.

The number of men in employment increased by 77,000 to a record high of 17.32m.

For women it rose by 144,000 to a record high of

15.4m, the largest increase since 2014. Unemployment has dipped below 4% – well below the EU average of 6.5%.

It fell by 35,000 to 1.34m, which is 112,000 lower than a year ago.

The number of job vacancies in the economy showed a rise of 4,000 to

854,000, while the UK jobless rate is at its lowest level since 1975.

Employment Minister Alok Sharma said: “Today’s figures are further evidence of the strong economy the Chancellor detailed in last week’s Spring Statement, showing how our pro-business policies are delivering record employment.

“2019 has continued to be a record-breaker, with the employment rate topping

76% for the first time, record female employment, and unemployment falling below 4% for the first time in 44 years.”

He added: “Our jobs market remains resilient as we see more people than ever before benefiting from earning a wage. By backing the Government’s Brexit deal and giving certainty to business, MPs have the chance to safeguard this jobs track record.”

The UK’s highest regional employment rate of 79.9% was in the south-west of England.

Official figures reveal a record number of 1.67m people working for the NHS in December last year, 32,000 more than a year earlier.

Matt Hughes, senior statistician at the Office for National Statistics, said: “The employment rate has reached a new record high, while the proportion of people who are neither working nor looking for a job is at a new record low.

“The unemployment rate has also fallen below 4% for the first time since early 1975.”