Today’s data reflect the partial reopening of the economy during the summer. Total hours worked and vacancies rose, while the rise in unemployment was partly driven by more people starting to look for work though employment did fall too. Nonetheless, employment, hours worked, and vacancies remain below pre-pandemic levels. We face a long winter of tighter restrictions ahead. The extension of the furlough scheme will cushion the blow, but a record rise in redundancies shows we have tough times ahead. With tentatively positive signs for a vaccine, the case for continuing economic support to limit the damage is clear.