One in five unemployed people in the UK are migrants, new figures reveal for the first time
The figures come amid news that average earnings are up - but families continue to face a real terms pay squeeze
ONE in five people who are unemployed in the UK are migrants, official statistics have shown for the first time.
New data also shows that the employment rate for those born in the UK and outside it was down - largely driven by a boost of 157,000 extra Brits in work.
There were a total of 1.4 million unemployed people in Britain in the last quarter - the numbers show.
Of those, 219,000 were born outside the EU, and 98,000 were born in the EU and had come to Britain.
1.1million were born in the UK.
The numbers are little changed from a year earlier, the Office for National Statistics revealed.
But in the last 12 months it was also revealed:
- UK-born people working in the UK increased by 88,000 to 21.3million
- But non-UK born people working in the UK increased by 262,000 to 5.6million
The Office for National Statistics figures also showed Britain’s record employment levels are being fuelled by a continuing surge in Romanian and Bulgarian migrants.
A record 362,000 migrants from Romania and Bulgaria are now employed in Britain. But at the same time migrants from other Eastern European countries including Poland, Hungary and Slovakia fell by an estimated 27,000.
The number of migrants from the two countries soared by a third over the last year - despite last year’s Brexit vote.
Migration Watch chief Lord Green said: “Despite all the scare stories of an exodus of EU workers, we have seen a fall of only 2 per cent from 25 countries and a continued massive inflow from Romania and Bulgaria.
"This increase of 87,000 is enormous and the need to control EU migration could not be clearer.”
The news comes as Brits received a boost today as it was revealed that average earnings rose by 2.1 per cent in the past year - much more than expected.
Unemployment rates for people born outside the EU is higher than those born in the UK
Unemployment rates by country of birth, for April to June 2017:
- the unemployment rate for people born in the UK was 4.2%, down from 4.7% for a year earlier
- the unemployment rate for people born in the EU was 4.0%, down from 4.4% for a year earlier
- the unemployment rate for people born outside the EU was 6.2%, down from 6.4% for a year earlier
Meanwhile, the unemployment rate is at its lowest level since 1975 (at just 4.4 per cent) as an extra 338,000 people came into the workforce in the last 12 months.
But inflation is at 2.6 per cent - meaning a 0.5 per cent real terms cut in income for ordinary working families who will continue to face a squeeze.
At 75.1 per cent, the percentage of people in work is the highest in more than forty years.
Fresh data showed that average weekly earnings was up by 2.1 per cent this year, which was higher than the 1.8 per cent that was expected.
And there are 20,000 fewer workers on zero-hours contracts than before too.
Minister for Employment, Damian Hinds hailed the data as "great news" this morning.
He said: "Over the past year the rise in employment has been overwhelmingly driven by permanent and full-time jobs, as employers continue to invest in Britain’s strong economy."
The news is a boost for Brexit supporters - after ex-chancellor George Osborne predicted an economic slump after a vote to leave the EU last year.
But the economy has remained relatively stable - albeit there has been a slight slowdown in the wake of a post-referendum business boom.
After last year's referendum the weaker pound saw a boost in exports.
But Labour's Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary warned against the real terms pay cut.
Debbie Abrahams said: "With wages continuing to fall in real terms, Tory cuts to in-work support, and rising prices, many households and families are worse off under this government."