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Latest ONS data on employment (February-April 2020)

We have analysed the data released by the Office for National Statistics for February to April which includes the first full month of lockdown.

What the data shows:

  • Unemployment unchanged (credit to government’s support schemes)
  • Largest decrease ever in weekly hours worked (but no gender differences)
  • ‘Economically inactive’ slightly decreased (so no flight from labour market either)
  • Pay fell for the first time since 2018 (-0.4% in real terms) (largely driven by big decrease in bonuses)
  • Record fall in number of job vacancies (fewer 343,000 in May)
  • 600,000 fewer employees in May (experimental PAYE stats) (suggesting unemployment rises will be reflected soon in official stats)
  • SEISS – fewer eligible self-employed women claiming and for less
  • CJRS (furlough scheme) – no gender data yet (from mid-July 2020 only)

 

Read our short note on what has changed in terms of employment for women and men

Topics
Covid- 19

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