Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate

In the April 2023 to March 2024 period, among economically active adults: 

• The unemployment rate was 4.1%
• this rate was 0.5 percentage points (pp) above the England excluding London rate, but the gap had narrowed in the latest year
• the rate was 0.3 pp lower than a year earlier and was the lowest rate since the start of a consistent time series in 2004 
• the North East had the median unemployment rate among the nine combined authority areas in the north and midlands
• at local authority level, Newcastle had the highest unemployment rate, with North Tyneside having the lowest.

Among people aged 16 to 64:

• the percentage in the North East classified as unemployed was at its lowest level across the consistent 20 year time series
• the same was true for the percentage classified as economically inactive and wanting a job
• on the other hand, the percentage classified as economically inactive and not wanting a job was at its highest since 2004-05.

Unemployment by age and sex

In the April 2023 to March 2024 period, among economically active adults:

• The North East female unemployment rate was 3.9%, with the male rate being 4.1%
• both of these rates were at their lowest level since the start of comparable data in 2004
• the female rate had been lower than the male rate throughout this period, with the exception of 2014-15
• both the female and male North East rates were highest among 16 to 24 year-olds
• North East unemployment rates were lower than those for England excluding London among males and females aged 25 to 34 and 34 to 49 and among males aged 50 to 64
• in the latest year, working age unemployment increased most among males aged 16 to 24 and decreased most among males aged 25 to 34.

About the data

The headline (16+) unemployment rate measures the proportion of the economically active adult population who are out of work and actively seeking employment. All other economically active people are in employment.

According to the internationally agreed definition used in official UK statistics, unemployed people are without a job on the survey date, but have actively sought work in the previous four weeks and are available to start work in the following two weeks. The definition also includes those who are out of work, but have found a job and are waiting to start it in the following two weeks. If someone is not working and does not meet either criteria they are classified as economically inactive.

The latest local labour market statistics are based on responses to the Annual Population Survey (APS) over a 12 month period between April 2023 and March 2024.

This information is updated each quarter, with the latest time period having a nine month overlap with that of the previous release. Our time series charts follow ONS guidance and compare non-overlapping periods.