Labour Market Report June 2019

The Labour Force Survey (LFS) results released at 9.30am today indicated that the unemployment rate for February-April 2019 (3.1%) decreased over the quarter by 0.4 percentage points. The inactivity rate (26.4%) was unchanged over the quarter and the employment rate (71.3%) increased over the quarter by 0.4 percentage points to a joint record high.

Key Points

• The latest Labour Force Survey (LFS) estimates for the period February-April 2019 indicate that, over the quarter, the unemployment rate decreased while the employment rate increased and the economic inactivity rate did not change.
• The LFS indicated that the NI unemployment rate (16+) decreased over the quarter (0.4pps) and the year (0.2pps) to 3.1% in February-April 2019. Although the recent changes were not statistically significant, the unemployment rate was significantly below rates in mid-2017. The NI unemployment rate was below the UK rate (3.8%), the Republic of Ireland rate (4.6%) and the EU rate (6.4%).
• The proportion of people aged 16 to 64 in work (the employment rate) increased over the quarter (0.4pps) and increased over the year (1.5pps) to a joint record high of 71.3%. Although the recent changes were not statistically significant, the employment rate was significantly above rates in mid-2017. The latest employment rate recorded for the whole of the UK was also at a joint high of 76.1%.
• 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) did not change over the quarter and decreased by 1.4pps over the year to 26.4%. Although the recent changes were not statistically significant, the inactivity rate was significantly below rates in mid-2017. The latest economic inactivity rate recorded for the whole of the UK was 20.8%.
• The total number of seasonally adjusted employee jobs in March 2019 was estimated at a record high of 778,240. This was an increase of 4,010 jobs over the quarter and 15,580 jobs over the year.
• The number of confirmed redundancies (2,501) in the most recent 12 months was  higher than the previous 12 months (2,165). 
• There were 581 confirmed redundancies notified to the Department in May 2019, an increase from the revised total of 60 notified in April 2019.  
• Full report available here

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