Mubasher: The UK Labour Force Survey estimates showed that the number of working people increased between the three months ended August 2018 and the three months ended November 2018.

The number of employed people across the UK rose 141,000 to a total of 32.53 million people during the three-month period ended last November compared with the previous period.

On an annual basis, the number rose by 328,000, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said on Tuesday.

The number of employed people aged from 16 to 64 years rose to 75.8% in the period between September and November from 75.3% in the same period last year, marking the highest since estimates began in 1971.

The unemployed population, on the other hand, were 1.37 million in the three-month period, barely changing from the figure recorded in the previous three-month period, with a year-on-year decline of 68,000.

The overall UK unemployment rate came in at 4 % in the three-month period ended last November.

“It has not been lower since December 1974 to February 1975,” the ONS said.

The rate of inactivity declined to 21% in the three months, compared with 21.2% in the same three months of the previous year.

The number of economically inactive people aged from 16 to 64 years was fell 86,000 to 8.65 million in the three-month period ended last November, from the same three months of the previous year and 100,000 lower than the three-month period ended last August.

The average weekly earnings, both excluding and including bonuses, grew 3.3% and 3.4% respectively in nominal terms, not adjusted for price inflation, compared to the same period last year.

In real terms, the average weekly earnings went up by 1.1% year-on-year, less bonuses and 1.2%, including bonuses.

By 9:54 am GMT, the GBP/USD pair rose 0.12% to $1.2907, while the EUR/GBP fell 0.15% to GBP 0.8802.