Latest on the Labour Market, March 2012 - Animated Short Video (YouTube)

                                                 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvHSavskim8

A short video explaining the latest labour market estimates is available on the ONS YouTube channel. It shows:

• Unemployment in November 2011 to January 2012 was 2.67 million, up 28,000 on the previous three months. Employment was 29.12 million (up 9,000) and inactivity 9.30 million (down 27,000).

• Comparing the end of 2011 with the end of 2010 total employment was down 44,000 made up of a 270,000 fall in public sector employment and a 226,000 rise in private sector employment.

• The total public sector employment fell by 4.3% over the same period with local government down most at 7.1%, central government was down 1.2%.

• The South West of the UK had the largest fall in public sector employment, down 36,000 and Northern Ireland the least, down 5,000.

• Northern Ireland is the area with the largest percentage of employment in the public sector, 27.9% in 2011 Q4 with the East of England the least at 17%

Further information is available in the Statistical Bulletin and the data tables.

Source: Office for National Statistics

Background notes

1. Details of the policy governing the release of new data are available by visiting www.statisticsauthority.gov.uk/assessment/code-of-practice/index.html or from the Media Relations Office email: media.relations@ons.gsi.gov.uk

   These National Statistics are produced to high professional standards and released according to the arrangements approved by the UK Statistics Authority.