Labour Market Report January 2019

The Labour Force Survey (LFS) results released at 9.30am today indicated that the unemployment rate was 3.4% (September-November 2018); a decrease over the quarter. The inactivity rate (27.9%) and the employment rate (69.6%) increased over the quarter.

Key Points

• The latest Labour Force Survey (LFS) estimates for the period September-November 2018 indicate that, over the quarter, the unemployment rate decreased while both the employment rate and the inactivity rate increased.
• The LFS indicated that the NI unemployment rate (16+) decreased over the quarter (1.0pps) and the year (0.4pps) to 3.4% in September-November 2018. Although the recent changes were not statistically significant, the unemployment rate was significantly below rates in 2017. The NI unemployment rate was below the UK rate (4.0%), the Republic of Ireland rate (5.3%) and the EU rate (6.7%).
• The proportion of people aged 16 to 64 in work (the employment rate) increased over the quarter (0.4pps) and increased over the year (0.6pps) to 69.6%. Although the quarterly and annual changes were not statistically significant, the employment rate was statistically significantly above rates in 2013. The latest employment rate recorded for the whole of the UK was 75.8%.
• The NI economic inactivity rate (the proportion of people aged from 16 to 64 who were not working and not seeking or available to work) increased by 0.4pps over the quarter and decreased by 0.3pps over the year to 27.9%. Whilst the recent changes in the economic inactivity rate were not statistically significant, the inactivity rate was significantly below rates in 2009.
• The number of people on the NI claimant count (experimental) remained unchanged over the month at 29,500 in December 2018. Please note these figures include Jobseeker’s Allowance Claimants and those claimants of Universal Credit who were claiming it principally for the reason of being unemployed.
• The number of confirmed redundancies (2,498) in the most recent 12 months was 40% higher than in the previous 12 months (1,790). 
• Full report available here

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