Official figures reveal that 21.5% of UK working-age adults are either unemployed or not actively seeking employment, though this is a slight decrease from prior measures. The government is implementing controversial cuts to sickness and disability benefits aimed at encouraging employment and saving £5 billion by 2030, despite opposition from multiple stakeholders. The Office for National Statistics cautions that job figures require careful interpretation due to recent survey response rates, yet notes a declining trend in economic inactivity since 1971, with more people in their late 30s and early 40s re-entering the workforce.
However, the number of people not looking for work has been brought into sharp focus as the government brings in plans to try to boost UK economic growth.
The government announced sweeping cuts to sickness and disability benefits this week aimed at saving 5bn a year by 2030.
Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall said the latest employment figures 'demonstrate the scale of the challenge we're still facing to get Britain working again'.
Nevertheless, it said economic inactivity - where people are out of work and not looking for work - has generally been falling since comparable records began in 1971.
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