LONDON, Feb. 17 (Xinhua) -- Britain's unemployment rate rose to 5.2 percent in the three months to December 2025, the highest level in nearly five years, official data showed on Tuesday.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said the unemployment rate increased by 0.2 percentage points from the previous quarter. The number of unemployed people reached 1.883 million during the period.
Meanwhile, the employment rate stood at 75.0 percent, while the rate of economic inactivity was 20.8 percent, indicating continued softness in labour market conditions.
Total employment reached 34.244 million, according to the ONS.
The Bank of England warned that labour market conditions have loosened and that further weakening in labour demand could lead to a more pronounced rise in unemployment. ■