How low UK unemployment masked holes exposed by virus pandemic


Many more people now work for themselves and almost a million are on zero-hour contracts, with no guarantee of hours from week to week. Charities report continued problems with debt.

LONDON: The UK has record-high employment and the lowest jobless rate since the 1970s. But the labour market – and many workers – are more vulnerable to the economic fallout from the coronavirus than those headline numbers suggest.

For one, pay growth has lagged other major economies and wages are barely higher than they were before the financial crisis. Many more people now work for themselves and almost a million are on zero-hour contracts, with no guarantee of hours from week to week. Charities report continued problems with debt.

Win a prize this Mother's Day by subscribing to our annual plan now! T&C applies.

Monthly Plan

RM13.90/month

Annual Plan

RM12.33/month

Billed as RM148.00/year

1 month

Free Trial

For new subscribers only


Cancel anytime. No ads. Auto-renewal. Unlimited access to the web and app. Personalised features. Members rewards.
Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel for breaking news alerts and key updates!
   

Next In Business News

Chin Hin taps Ajiya for two-year RM250mil loan
MI Technovation posts three-fold surge in net profit
CIMB Securities eyes larger market share
InNature diversifies into the F&B industry
Yinson’s RM16bil debt too big to ignore
Leap in operating income for UOB’s retail banking
Paramount emerges as major shareholder in EWI
New capacity in the pipeline
March industrial production index up 2.4%, but below forecast
Data centre – boon or bane?

Others Also Read