NATIONAL EMPLOYER & PARTNERSHIP TEAM

Employer News

November 2017

Welcome to the November 2017 edition of Employer News.

The DWP National Employer and Partnership Team (NEPT) will be using this e-shot to communicate items of interest to Employers, Trade Associations and Partners.

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Today’s Labour Market Statistics

HEADLINE NEWS

Unemployment remains at 40-year low

·         Unemployment is down 59,000 on the quarter and is the lowest rate since 1975

·         Employment rate is at a near record of 75.0% with 32 million people in work

Official figures show that unemployment has remained at 4.3%, the lowest rate since 1975.

The figures, released by the Office for National Statistics, also show that employment remains at a near record high, with 32 million people in work.

Increases in full-time and permanent work are behind the figures. In the last year the number of people on zero hours contracts has fallen by 20,000.

 Minister for Employment, Damian Hinds said:

“The strength of the economy is driving an increase in full-time, permanent jobs and a near-record number of people are now in work thanks to the Government’s welfare reforms.

“When unemployment fell to 5% early last year, many people thought it couldn’t get much lower, and yet it now stands at 4.3%.

“Everyone should be given the opportunity to find work and enjoy the stability of a regular pay packet. We’ve cut income tax for 30 million people since 2010, meaning people keep more of their money each month." 

Today’s employment figures also show:

The number of people in employment has increased by more than 3 million since 2010.

·         The UK has the 3rd highest employment rate in the G7.

·         The number of workers aged 50+ has almost reached 10 million - a record level.

·         Youth unemployment has fallen by over 40% since 2010.

·         There are a near record 780,000 vacancies in the economy at any one time.

·         The proportion of young people who are unemployed and not in full time education remains below 5%.

Separate figures out today show there are 630,000 people on Universal Credit, with 40% in employment.

Apprenticeship Diversity Champions Network

The Apprenticeship Diversity Champions Network (ADCN,) launched earlier this year, brings together a group of employers committed to putting social mobility at the heart of what they do, and ensuring that people from all backgrounds can access and benefit from apprenticeships.

Members, who include the BBC and Rolls Royce, have this month welcomed changes to English and Maths requirements which will make it easier for many disabled people to access apprenticeships. Further information on these changes can be found here, and they came fully into force last month.

Government, supported by the ADCN, is undertaking a raft of additional measures to support disabled apprentices. This includes working with employers such as Kent County Council and the NHS as part of a Pacesetter project to deliver supported apprenticeships, and trial what works in making apprenticeships more accessible.

In addition to this, DWP’s Disability Confident Scheme is being integrated into the Find an Apprenticeship site, and additional payments of £1000 are now available for providers and employers with apprentices aged 19-24 who have an Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan or were previously in care. The new funding model maintains existing financial support to providers for apprentices with learning difficulties and / or disabilities of up to £150 per month.

The National Employer and Partnership Team would like to say thank you to all Employers, Trade Associations and Partners for the significant contribution you have made to the fall in unemployment, demonstrated in the figures.   

                                              Edition 15.11.2017