ERSA welcomes latest labour market statistics

ERSA welcomes the latest labour market statistics published today which sees the employment rate at a record high of 74.4% and the unemployment rate at its lowest in over 10 years at 4.9%.

Behind these chart topping figures lies the work of frontline employment support providers who, through the Work Programme alone, have helped over 786,000 individual jobseekers to enter employment – which includes over 190,000 young people and nearly 50,000 jobseekers on Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), many of whom will never have received intensive, specialised support.

However, in the face of growing economic uncertainty and potentially negative impacts on the labour market, the work of the employment support sector will be more important than ever in helping the new government ward against more gloomy releases to come.

Kirsty McHugh, Chief Executive, ERSA, said:

“Latest employment figures continue to show the impact of frontline providers who are working hard to support jobseekers across the UK. The new DWP team must maintain the capacity and the specialism of the employment support market at a greater level than is currently planned to meet any future labour market challenges.”