The UK unemployment rate is falling and the workforce has surpassed pre-pandemic levels

Official data showed Britain’s unemployment rate unexpectedly fell as the number of people in work rose to a record high and surpassed its pre-pandemic level for the first time.

The Office for National Statistics said on Tuesday that the unemployment rate fell to 3.8% in the three months to April, from 3.9% in the previous quarter. Most economists expect the rate to rise to 4%.

As the unemployment rate fell, the country’s employment rate rose from 75.9% to 76%, with the number of employed people rising to an all-time high of 33.1 million.

Darren Morgan, the agency’s director of economic statistics, said the biggest driver of recent job growth was health and social care, followed by hospitality.

The agency also reported that wages rose sharply, a development that could cause concern for the Bank of England, which is set to raise interest rates again next week.

“While there has been another fall in the number of people not working or looking for work… people leaving work due to long-term illness continue to hit a new record,” noted Darren Morgan, director of economic statistics at the ONS. .

“In monetary terms, base pay has been growing rapidly since current records began, except during the period when the numbers were skewed by the pandemic.

“However, wage increases continue to lag behind inflation,” he added.

Morgan said the number of people in work surpassed its pre-pandemic level for the first time, setting a new record.