Unemployment rate hits highest outside Covid years for almost a decade

Sign up for our email featuring expert insight and funding opportunities for entrepreneurs and SMEs Sign up

I would like to be emailed about offers, event and updates from Evening Standard. Read our privacy notice .

The UK’s jobless rate has hit its highest level outside the pandemic era for nearly a decade as experts said the further evidence of a weakened labour market made a year-end interest rate cut more likely.

Official figures showed the rate of unemployment surged to 5% in the three months to September, up from 4.8% in the three months to August.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said that, with the skewed levels seen during the Covid-19 years stripped out, this was the highest seen since August 2016.

The ONS said average regular wage growth also pulled back again