FX.co ★ UK Jobless Rate Steady at Almost 5-Year High

In the three months leading up to November 2025, the UK's unemployment rate held steady at 5.1%, unchanged from the preceding period and marginally above market predictions of 5.0%. This rate maintained its peak since the quarter ending in March 2021, as the total number of unemployed rose by 103,000 from the previous quarter, reaching 1.840 million. This increase was primarily observed among those unemployed for durations of up to six months, between six and twelve months, and beyond twelve months, with a significant rise noted among men. Concurrently, total employment saw an increase of 82,000, reaching 34.303 million, buoyed largely by a rise in employee numbers. However, full-time self-employment saw a decline, while part-time self-employment experienced growth. Additionally, the number of individuals holding second jobs increased slightly to 1.294 million, representing 3.8% of the employed population. Despite these changes, the employment rate remained stable at 75.1%, while the economic inactivity rate decreased by 0.2 percentage points, reaching 20.8%.