Negative inflation

Consumer Price Inflation, April 2015: ONS

• The Consumer Prices Index (CPI) fell by 0.1% in the year to April 2015, compared to no change (0.0%) in the year to March 2015.
• This is the first time the CPI has fallen over the year since official records began in 1996 and the first time since 1960 based on comparable historic estimates.
• The largest downward contribution came from transport services – notably air and sea fares, with the timing of Easter this year a likely factor.
• The Retail Prices Index (not a National Statistic) grew by 0.9% in the year ending April 2015, unchanged from March 2015.

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Unemployment continues to fall

UK Labour Market, May 2015: ONS

Main points for January to March 2015

• There were 1.83 million unemployed people. This was 35,000 fewer than for October to December 2014, the smallest quarterly fall since June to August 2013. Comparing January to March 2015 with a year earlier, there were 386,000 fewer unemployed people.
• The proportion of the economically active population who were unemployed (the unemployment rate) was 5.5%, lower than for October to December 2014 (5.7%) and for a year earlier (6.8%). The economically active population is those in work plus those seeking and available to work.
• There were 8.98 million people aged from 16 to 64 who were out of work and not seeking or available to work (known as economically inactive), 69,000 fewer than for October to December 2014 but little changed compared with a year earlier.
• The proportion of people aged from 16 to 64 who were economically inactive (the inactivity rate) was 22.1%, lower than for October to December 2014 (22.3%) but unchanged compared with a year earlier.
• Comparing the estimates for January to March 2015 with those for October to December 2014, employment continued to rise and unemployment continued to fall. These changes maintain the general direction of movement since late 2011 to early 2012.
• There were 31.10 million people in work, 202,000 more than for October to December 2014 and 564,000 more than for a year earlier.
• The proportion of people aged from 16 to 64 in work (the employment rate) was 73.5%, the highest since comparable records began in 1971.