UK employment hit its highest rate since records began back in 1972, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealed on Tuesday.
The UK’s jobless rate fell to 3.9%, down from 4% recorded the month before.
Those not in employment fell by 35,000 to 1.338 million during the final quarter of the year.
Meanwhile, employment levels hit record levels of 76.1% during the three months to January.
ONS senior statistician Matt Hughes said: “The employment rate has reached a new record high, while the proportion of people who are neither working nor looking for a job – the so-called ‘economic inactivity rate’- is at a new record low.”
The government minister for employment, Alok Sharma MP commented on the figures:
“Today’s employment 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.
“Our jobs market remains resilient as we see more people than ever before benefitting 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.”
Meanwhile former home secretary and current minister for work and pensions Amber Rudd MP tweeted the following:
💥 Unemployment at a 44 year low.
💥 Employment rate at a record high.
💥 32.7 million people taking home a wage.
💥 Wages have now outpaced inflation for a year.
💥 The number of people in work rose by 222,000, the largest increase for years.https://t.co/fsHoXZTQqo— Amber Rudd MP (@AmberRuddHR) March 19, 2019
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js The latest ONS employment figures will be a welcome development for the government, particularly as the UK economy continues to suffer amid ongoing Brexit-related uncertainty.
The UK is still set to leave the EU on the 29 March in 11 days, nevertheless, parliament has yet to agree upon a deal.
