Response | Labour market statistics, April 2020
21 April 2020Responding to the latest labour marker statistics, Stephen Evans, chief executive of Learning and Work Institute, said;
“These data are from just before the coronavirus crisis hit. They show the UK went in to the pandemic with record high employment.
“Things look very different today. Our analysis suggests that five years of employment growth were wiped out in the first month of the crisis. Despite the government’s unprecedented interventions, unemployment is likely to exceed the level reached in the last recession, and the crisis risks worsening pre-existing inequalities.
“If we are to avoid this short-term crisis having a long-term scarring impact on our economy, we must start planning for the recovery now. This means massive additional investment in employment support and a comprehensive plan to get Britain back to work.
Notes:
- Office for National Statistics released the latest labour market statistics at 07:00 today. They are available at https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/employmentandemployeetypes/bulletins/uklabourmarket/latest
- Learning and Work Institute is a policy, research and development organisation dedicated to lifelong learning, full employment and inclusion.
Learning and Work Institute’s report ‘Coronavirus and the labour market: Impacts and challenges’ – is available here archive.learningandwork.org.uk/resource/coronavirus-and-the-labour-market-impacts-and-challenges