- The unemployment rate continued to fall, reaching 6.4% for April to June 2014, the lowest since late 2008. There were 2.08 million unemployed people, 132,000 fewer than for January to March 2014 and 437,000 fewer than a year earlier.
- For April to June 2014, there were 8.86 million economically inactive people (those out of work but not seeking or available to work) aged from 16 to 64. This was 15,000 more than for January to March 2014 but 130,000 fewer than a year earlier. The economic inactivity rate was 21.9%, unchanged compared with January to March 2014
- For April to June 2014, there were 30.60 million people in work, 167,000 more than for January to March 2014 and 820,000 more than a year earlier.
- The proportion of people aged from 16 to 64 in work (the employment rate), was 73.0%. This was higher than for January to March 2014 and for a year earlier.
The TUC claims that the UK economy is very good at creating low-paid jobs but is struggling to create the better-paid work we need for a fair and sustainable recovery.
The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) claims that “Even a full-blown economic recovery will not solve the UK’s “structural youth unemployment” problem“.