UK Unemployment Hits 5-Year High at 5.2%
Does rising unemployment signal a healthier labor market or has Labour condemned young people to worklessness?
Above: A general view outside a job Centre employment office in Newcastle Under Lyme on Nov. 2, 2020. Image credit: Nathan Stirk/Getty Images
The Spin
Left narrative
These latest figures actually signal a healthier labor market, as hundreds of thousands of previously inactive workers return to seeking jobs rather than mass layoffs occurring. This expanded workforce eases recruitment pressures, moderates wage inflation and supports sustainable growth while unemployment and inactivity rates remain below the 25-year average.
Right narrative
Labour's policies have condemned young people to worklessness, with youth unemployment hitting an 11-year high of 16.1% by late 2025. Massive National Insurance hikes, above-inflation minimum wage increases and the burdensome Employment Rights Act have forced employers to stop hiring entirely, pricing an entire generation out of their first jobs and future opportunities.
