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Responding to the labour market stats release by ONS on 19 May 2026, Stephen Evans, Chief Executive at Learning and Work Institute, said:
“The labour market remained flat heading into the current international crisis, with employment, vacancies and other measures all flat or worsening. If the crisis persists, this risks being the calm before the storm. Real regular pay fell in the private sector as inflation started to rise and over 640,000 fewer people are in work six years on than if the employment rate had stayed at its pre-pandemic level. The UK employment rate is still higher than many other countries, but 3.9m people are out of work and say they want a job.”
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