What it measures
The unemployment rate counts people aged 16 and over without work who have looked for a job recently and can start soon, as a share of the economically active population. The ONS reports it as an average over three months.
Who publishes it and when
It is part of the ONS monthly labour market release, published at 07:00 London time, together with employment, the claimant count and average earnings.
How it is put together
The figure comes from the Labour Force Survey of households. The ONS has warned in recent years that lower response rates make the survey less reliable, so it is read with care and alongside other sources.
What traders watch
Average earnings growth in the same release often matters more to markets than unemployment, because of its link to inflation. Traders read the two together.
How markets have usually reacted
A rise in unemployment has sometimes weighed on the pound, a fall has sometimes supported it; the wage figures in the same release can easily outweigh it.
Common mistakes
- Forgetting that it is a three-month average and so slow to turn.
- Ignoring the wage data released at the same moment.
How a higher or lower figure is usually read
A higher unemployment rate is usually read as negative for the pound; a lower one as supportive. Not a signal.
Release history
| Date | Period | Actual | Previous |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 2026 | 4.7% | 4.9% |
Related news
- UK Claimant Count Change
- Bank of England Rate Decision (Bank Rate)
- UK Consumer Price Index (CPI)
- Economic calendar: every release this week in your time zone
- Lot size calculator: keep your risk the same around news
- How to use an economic calendar: what happens around a release, and how to plan for it
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Official source
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Calendar data: www.ons.gov.uk
Published by Office for National Statistics (ONS): www.ons.gov.uk