"The Office for National Statistics (ONS) reported that the overall unemployment rate increased to 5.2% in the three months to December, up from 5.1% in the three months to November. This is the highest figure since the three months to January 2021 and, outside of the pandemic period, the highest since autumn 2015. The impact on younger workers has been particularly severe."
"Louise Murphy, senior economist at the Resolution Foundation, said, "We must urgently turn our attention to the UK's unemployment problems. At the end of last year, almost one-in-six young people who wanted to work couldn't find a job. Unemployment risks climbing even further in 2026." She added, "Getting youth unemployment down in this country - along with the share of young people who aren't in education or training - must be a top priority for 2026.""
"Some companies have responded by cutting jobs or slowing hiring, particularly for entry-level positions. The Conservative Party said the latest rise in unemployment was "the predictable result of bad decisions and economic incompetence" by the Labour Government. Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary Helen Whately said, "Young people are taking the hardest hit. Entry-level roles are the first to disappear from Labour's tax hikes. By making hir"
Unemployment in the UK rose to 5.2% in the three months to December, the highest since early 2021 and outside the pandemic since 2015. Youth unemployment for 16-24-year-olds surged to 16.1%, the highest level since early 2015, and exceeded the EU average of 14.9%. Retail and hospitality have been particularly affected following higher employer National Insurance and above-inflation minimum wage increases. Some employers have cut jobs or slowed hiring, especially for entry-level positions. Calls have been made for urgent attention and prioritising reductions in youth unemployment in 2026.
Read at London Business News | Londonlovesbusiness.com
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