April Labour Market Statistics: Comment from the Institute for Employment Studies

IES News

20 Apr 2021

Commenting on this morning’s Labour Market Statistics, Tony Wilson, Director of the Institute for Employment Studies said:

"Today’s figures confirm our view last month that the labour market has stopped weakening and that unemployment may have reached its peak for now.  But while the headlines will focus on the slight dip in the unemployment rate, the bigger story is the continued crisis for young people.  Youth long-term unemployment has hit a five-year high this morning, while youth employment is still falling even as it starts to rise for every other age group.  This reflects the cumulative impact of three lockdowns, dragging down hiring and shutting down youth jobs.  But if we don’t act quickly, in particular by focusing our support on the long-term unemployed, then we are risking another lost generation."

Read the detailed IES Labour Market Statistics briefing note here