Unemployment in the UK fell to a fresh two-and-a-half year low in the final quarter of last year, official data showed today, but growth in earnings unexpectedly slowed again.
The Office for National Statistics said joblessness on the internationally-comparable ILO measure fell back 21,000 on the quarter to 1.46 million, the lowest since March to May of 2001, which set a record low.
The jobless rate edged lower to 4.9 per cent, the joint lowest since records began in 1984 and showing the continued resilience of the British labour market to the economic slowdown of the past three years.
There was also a sharp fall in the so-called "claimant count" measure of unemployment, which captures only those drawing "dole". The January drop of 13,400 was the biggest fall in two-and-a-half years and took the total to 892,100, the lowest level since September 1975.
Under that measure, which has fallen for eight consecutive months, the jobless rate dropped to just 2.9 per cent, the lowest since June 1975.