LONDON, Dec 16 (KUNA) -- The United Kingdom's Office for National Statistics (ONS) affirmed on Tuesday that the unemployment rate in the United Kingdom rose up to 5.1 percent between August and October, marking its highest level since January 2021.
The report stated that the number of employees registered on taxable payrolls declined by more than 171,000 between October 2024 and October 2025, bringing the total number of employees excluding the self-employed down to 30.3 million.
It added that unemployment among young people aged 16 to 24 reached 16 percent, an increase of 60,000 over a 12-month period.
Director of Economic Statistics at the ONS, Liz McKeown, said the overall picture points to a weakening labor market, as the number of employees on payrolls fell again, reflecting a slowdown in hiring, while companies reported a decline in available job vacancies in recent months.
McKeown further confirmed in the same report that this weakness also reflects a rise in unemployment, with job vacancies remaining at the same level, noting that declines in employment and increases in unemployment were particularly evident among some younger age groups. (end) mrn.onm