Economic Buzz: UK unemployment at 4.9% in Q2

The rate of unemployment in the United Kingdom came in at 4.9% in the three months to June, down 0.1 percentage points from the previous quarter and up by 0.2 percentage points from the same quarter a year ago, the Office for National Statistics revealed in its report on Tuesday.

The employment rate was estimated at 75.1% in the reported quarter, increasing by 0.1 percentage points from the previous trimester and declining by 0.2 percentage points on an annual basis. Meanwhile, economic inactivity remained at 20.9%.

The estimated number of vacancies dropped by 6,000 from the last quarter to 707,000 for May to July 2026. Excluding bonuses, the annual growth in average earnings reached 3.5% in the three months ending June 2026.

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