- By John Campbell
- BBC News NI economics and enterprise editor
18 minutes ago
Image supply, Getty Photos/Zia Soleil
The unemployment price in Northern Ireland returned to its pre-pandemic level at the commence of this year, official figures recommend.
The price was two.four% in the November to January quarter, matching the price for the duration of the exact same quarter in 2020.
Through the pandemic, the price peaked at four.five% in the summer season of 2021.
Other official information also suggests the jobs market place had a optimistic commence to the year regardless of underlying financial weakness.
The economy inactivity price saw a statistically considerable fall more than the year, declining by two.five percentage points to 26.four%.
An individual is classed as economically inactive if they are not in perform and not hunting for perform.
That involves people today who are retired, in complete time education, sick or disabled and these with caring responsibilities.
The price is now at its lowest due to the fact the commence of the pandemic, when it stood at 25.9%.
Nevertheless Northern Ireland nevertheless has the highest price of inactivity of any UK area the typical UK price is 21.three%.
Tomorrow’s UK price range is anticipated to include measures aimed at encouraging some economically inactive people today to discover jobs.
Meanwhile the Quarterly Employment Survey (QES) recommended there was a record quantity of employee jobs in December 2022.
The QES surveys about six,000 businesses, covering all employers with 25 or far more personnel and all public sector employers.
It discovered the quantity of employee jobs enhanced more than the year by three.five%, or 27,050 jobs, to 810,210.
Increases had been noticed across solutions, building, manufacturing and the public sector.
HMRC information on wages suggests spend rises in Northern Ireland are nevertheless operating properly under the price of inflation.
The standard worker was paid £2,047 in February, an enhance of 7% from February 2022 in January the UK’s principal price of inflation was ten.1%.
