Unemployment rate

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Unemployment rate

The unemployment rate is the proportion of the economically active population (those in work plus those seeking and available to work) who are unemployed.

Unemployment measures people without a job who have been actively seeking work within the last four weeks and are available to start work within the next two weeks

In the News Teaching Activity – What is the state of the UK’s economy? (Apr 2026)

30th April 2026
In the News Teaching Activity – What is happening in the UK jobs market? (Oct 2025)

20th October 2025
IB Economics: Types and Causes of Unemployment

Study Notes
IB Economics - The Meaning of Unemployment

Study Notes
Is cyclical unemployment less of a risk for the UK?

15th May 2024
In the News Teaching Activity – the UK’s unemployment rate may be lower than the statistics suggest (Feb 2024)

12th February 2024
2.1.3 Employment and Unemployment (Edexcel)

Study Notes
2.1.3 Measuring Unemployment (Edexcel A-Level Economics Teaching PowerPoint)

Teaching PowerPoints
In the News Teaching Activity: Unemployment Has Risen Slightly to 4.3% (Sept 2023)

14th September 2023
2.1.3 Policies to Cut Unemployment (Edexcel A-Level Economics Teaching PowerPoint)

Teaching PowerPoints
2.1.3 Impact of High Unemployment (Edexcel A-Level Economics Teaching PowerPoint)

Teaching PowerPoints
Micro-policies to tackle unemployment

11th September 2023
4.2.3.2 Policies to Reduce Unemployment (AQA A Level Economics Teaching Powerpoint)

Teaching PowerPoints
4.2.3.2 Employment and Unemployment (AQA A Level Economics Teaching Powerpoint)

Teaching PowerPoints
2.6.4 Macro Trade-Offs - The Phillips Curve (Edexcel A-Level Economics Teaching PowerPoint)

Teaching PowerPoints
What are the main causes of frictional unemployment?

Study Notes
What is disguised unemployment?

Study Notes
UK Unemployment Rises to 4%

11th July 2023
Unemployment nudges up to 3.8% and real wages fall 3% in a year

18th April 2023
Economics of the Phillips Curve

Topic Videos
UK Economy - Are there 3 million hidden unemployed?

31st January 2023
What are the economic costs of high unemployment?

Study Notes
Social Costs of High Unemployment

Study Notes
Is cyclical unemployment starting to rise in the UK economy?

19th December 2022
UK Economy Update: What is a Tight Labour Market?

25th November 2022
Update on the UK Economy - October 2022

24th October 2022
UK Economy - Unemployment rate falls to lowest level since 1974

13th September 2022
2022 Exams - Key Statistics on the UK Economy

Topic Videos
National Insurance and Unemployment - Chains of Reasoning

Topic Videos
Unemployment Policy in the UK - Way to Work forces jobseekers to widen their job search net

1st February 2022
Economic scarring - global unemployment set to remain above 200 million in 2022

2nd June 2021
Unemployment - Selection of Revision MCQs

Practice Exam Questions
The Unemployment Trap

Study Notes
Unemployment - 2021 Revision Update

Study Notes
Mass Unemployment - Policies to Protect Jobs

Topic Videos
What is Economic Scarring?

Topic Videos
UK Economy Update (August 2020): Deepest Recession on Record

Topic Videos
Coronavirus update: Businesses Cut Jobs as Demand Falls Away

30th July 2020
Coronavirus update: How high will unemployment rise in 2020?

24th July 2020
Is the UK sleep-walking into an unemployment crisis?

28th June 2020
UK economy set to be hit hardest of leading economies

11th June 2020
Labour Migration & Jobs: Revision Essay Plan

Exam Support
Huge rise in the claimant count as recession bites

20th May 2020
Unemployment [Head Start in A-Level Economics]

Topic Videos
US unemployment rises 33 million since start of the pandemic

8th May 2020
Explaining the difference between Economic Recession and Depression

Topic Videos
UK Economy: Can the UK reach full-employment?

Topic Videos
Measuring Unemployment (2020 Update)

Topic Videos
Low unemployment and longer hours

18th November 2019
Macro Policies to avoid an Economic Recession

Topic Videos
The state of the UK economy (Oct 2019) - an 'Elevator Quiz' activity

22nd October 2019
Factors that can cause an economic recession

Topic Videos
Synoptic Economics: Falling Unemployment

Topic Videos
UK Economy Update 2019: Inflation and Unemployment

Topic Videos

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Unemployment rate