The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) has offered qualified praise to the latest job market figures published this week.
Statistics published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed that, in the three months from September to November 2015, unemployment was 99,000 lower than the previous three months, while employment was 267,000 higher.
The youth unemployment rate was 13.7 per cent from September to November, compared with 13.8 per cent in the three previous months.
There was also a 2.0 per cent annual growth in average earnings in the three months to November 2015, including bonuses, and a 1.9 per cent growth – excluding bonuses – compared with the same period last year.
“The UK’s vibrant and dynamic labour market remains a source of strength of our economy at a time of major uncertainty,” said David Kern, the BCC’s Chief Economist.
“However, there are some problems to overcome – while the youth unemployment rate is now lower than it was before the 2008 downturn, it is still much higher than the national average.”
