UK unemployment rate rises to 5% as jobs market weakens
By: | Published: 2025-11-11 07:43:00 | Source: www.bbc.com
The rate of UK unemployment has risen to 5% in the three months to September, showing signs the jobs market has weakened, according to new official figures.
It is the highest rate since the period covering December 2020 to February 2021, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
The increase in the unemployment rate was higher than expected, coming in above the 4.9% projected by many analysts ahead of the Budget on 26 November.
Average wage growth was 4.6% in the third quarter, down from 4.7% over the three months to August.
Liz McKeown, director of economic statistics for the ONS, said: “Taken together, these figures point to a weakening labour market.
“Meanwhile the unemployment rate is up in the latest quarter to a post pandemic high. The number of job vacancies,…
