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April 21, 2026UK UNEMPLOYMENT RATE, DECEMBER 2025-FEBRUARY 2026 
The UK unemployment rate for the three-month period December 2025 to February 2026 was 4.9%, 0.2 percentage points lower than the preceding 3 month period (September-November 2025). From December 2024 to February 2025, the UK unemployment rate averaged 4.4%.
There were 1.780 million unemployed people in the UK, 60,000 (-3.3%) lower than the preceding 3 month period and 206,000 (+13.1%) more than at the same time a year ago. Employment in the UK was at 34.328 million, 25,000 (+0.1%) more than the preceding 3 month period and 332,000 (+1.0%) more compared to a year earlier. UK labour force decreased by 35,000 (-0.1%) from the preceding 3 month period, declining to 36.108 million and increased by 538,000 (+1.5%) over the past year.
In both Canada and Nova Scotia, both labour force and employment have grown more rapidly than in the UK.
Source: UK Labour Market Statistics; UK Labour Market Data; Statistics Canada. Table 14-10-0287-01 Labour force characteristics, monthly, seasonally adjusted and trend-cycle, last 5 months