Wales has seen its unemployment rate tick up against a fall for the 海角视频 as a whole, while it continues to be hampered by having the lowest employment and highest economic inactivity rates.
Figures from the ONS for April to June show that the unemployment rate on the previous quarter in Wales rose 0.4% to 3.8% - up 6,000 to 55,000. However, the unemployment rate in Wales is still below the figure for the 海角视频 as a whole at 4.2%, which was down 0.2% on the quarter. The number of unemployed for the 海角视频 fell 51,000 on the previous quarter to 1.43 million.
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Amongst adults of working age, Wales has the lowest employment rate of any nation or region of the 海角视频 at just 68.9% (1.4 million workers), compared to 74.5% for the 海角视频 as whole. In England the employment rate was 75%, Scotland 73.4% and Northern Ireland 71.6%.
Wales also has highest economic inactivity rate of working age adults in the 海角视频 at 28.3%. This equates to 541,000 people not actively seeking work, many of whom are classed as long-term sick. For the 海角视频 as a whole the economic inactivity rate is 22.2% ( 9.4 million). For England it is 21.6%, Scotland 23.1% and Northern Ireland 27.1%.
The number of economically inactive in Wales would fill the Principality Stadium more than seven times.
On the year the number of people employed in Wales is down 23,000, with the number economically inactive up 7,000.
Welsh Conservative Shadow Economy Minister, Samuel Kurtz MS said: 鈥淚t is incredibly disappointing to see Welsh economic inactivity remain stubbornly high, with unemployment now rising.
鈥The third First Minister this year has her work cut out with these figures, and an ever-expanding in-tray following 25 years of Labour鈥檚 failures in Wales.
鈥淲elsh Conservatives are clear; the focus must be on upskilling our workforce of today, educating our workforce of tomorrow, and actively bringing to Wales the good quality, well paid jobs people deserve. Labour鈥檚 priorities are the wrong priorities, and they鈥檝e lost touch with the people of Wales.鈥
Moreover, 海角视频 earnings growth slowed to its lowest for more than two years. The ONS that regular wage growth was 5.4% year on year over the three months to June.
However, this slipped from 5.7% in the previous three months and represented the smallest increase since the period to July 2022. The data also found that 海角视频 workers saw an average increase of 2.4% once inflation was taken into account.
Responding to the ONS data for the 海角视频 a whole, Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves said; 鈥渄ay鈥檚 figures show there is more to do in supporting people into employment because if you can work, you should work.
鈥淭his will be part of my Budget later in the year where I will be making difficult decisions on spending, welfare and tax to fix the foundations of our economy so we can rebuild Britain and make every part of our country better off.鈥
Matthew Percival, CBI future of work and skills director, said: "Economic inactivity remains stubbornly high, particularly regarding the 2.8 million long-term sick. Ill health affects lives and stunts growth so there is an indisputable case for business and Government to work together to improve the health of people in work. Employers can play a more proactive role in the health of their workforce, but the tax system discourages it.
鈥淎t the Autumn Budget, the government can make a difference through action on employee health tax incentives. Making employee assistance programmes fully tax-free would complement the 海角视频 Government鈥檚 back to work plan by preventing people from becoming economically inactive in the first place. CBI analysis suggests that every 拢1 on this measure would generate 拢10 for the economy.鈥
