Unemployment falls by 39,000 to 1.63 million

Job Centre PA
Credit: PA

Unemployment has fallen by 39,000 to 1.63 million between May and July, official figures showed.

The latest figures include the month following the Brexit vote and give a jobless rate of 4.9%.

The number of people on the claimant count, which includes Jobseeker's Allowance - in August increased by 2,400 to 771,000, the Office for National Statistics said.

The figures mean that there are 31.77 million people aged over-16 in work, a record high of 74.5% and down 190,000 compared with a year ago.

Average earnings increased by 2.3% in the year to July, 0.2% down on the previous month, while job vacancies were up 3,000 to 752,000 between June and August.

Damian Green, Work and Pensions Secretary, welcomed the data, but said there was still more work to do.

"It's great to see another record-breaking set of figures out this month with the unemployment rate at a 10-year low and wages growing healthily.

"We know that there are fewer children living in workless households too, which underlines our efforts to help people move into employment and to build a Britain that works for everyone, not just the privileged few."

Unemployment by region

  • North East - 98,000 unemployed, an increase of 3,000 to a jobless rate of 7.5%

  • North West - 181,000 unemployed, an increase of 7,000 to a jobless rate of 5.1%

  • Yorkshire and Humber - 159,000 unemployed, an increase of 1,000 to a jobless rate of 5.9%

  • East Midlands - 102,000 unemployed, a fall of 4,000 to a jobless rate of 4.3%

  • West Midlands - 176,000 unemployed, an increase of 17,000 to a jobless rate of 6.2%

  • East of England - 101,000 unemployed, a fall of 16,000 to a jobless rate of 3.2%

  • London - 289,000 unemployed, an increase of 9,000 to a jobless rate of 6.1%

  • South East - 166,000 unemployed, a fall of 15,000 to a jobless rate of 3.5%

  • South West - 118,000 unemployed, an increase of 1,000 to a jobless rate of 4.2%

  • Wales - 63,000 unemployed, a fall of 10,000 to a jobless rate of 4.1%

  • Scotland - 130,000 unemployed, a fall of 29,000 to a jobless rate of 4.7%

  • Northern Ireland - 49,000 unemployed, a fall of 2,000 to a jobless rate of 5.6%