The UK unemployment rate has fallen to 4.9%, according to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), offering a rare moment of optimism in an otherwise unsettled economic landscape.
The data, covering the period from December 2025 to February 2026, shows a drop from 5.2% in the previous rolling quarter, marking the lowest level since mid‑2025.
Steady
Economists had broadly expected the rate to hold steady, making the improvement a mild but welcome surprise. The fall reflects a combination of rising employment in several service‑sector industries and a shift in the composition of the labour force.
Part of the decline, however, stems from an increase in economic inactivity, particularly among students and those temporarily stepping away from the workforce.
This means the headline figure flatters the underlying picture slightly, even if the direction of travel remains encouraging.
Easing wag growth
Wage growth continues to ease, and vacancies remain well below their post‑pandemic peak, suggesting the labour market is still cooling overall.
Yet the drop in unemployment provides the government with a positive data point to cling to at a time when households are grappling with high living costs and businesses are navigating weak demand.
For now, the labour market appears to be stabilising rather than sliding.
Note: this data was produced pre the U.S./Israel/Iran conflict.