Comparing adjacent three-month periods
The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 3.9% in July–September 2026, versus 3.8% in June–August. Underemployment rose from 1.9% to 2.0%: both increased by 0.1 percentage point. Employment increased by about 3,000 to 3,655,000; unemployment (not seasonally adjusted) increased by about 1,100 to 155,000.
Coverage and limitations
These provisional figures, released on 22 October, come from the continuous General Household Survey. The July–September sample covered about 25,000 households or 65,000 people, interviewing members aged 15 or above. They describe a moving three-month period, not September alone. Employment includes employers, self-employed people, full-time and part-time employees and unpaid family workers.
BLJ advice: assess the actual vacancy
Review pay, hours, location and local applicant responses before planning recruitment. A higher overall unemployment rate does not make every role easy to fill. It does not establish that imported workers caused unemployment or that an application will be approved.
What employers can do now
- Keep local recruitment and interview records by role.
- Review the attractiveness of pay, hours and location.
- Plan staffing from actual recruitment evidence, not the aggregate rate alone.
Sources and updates
Compiled by BLJ from the sources above. Our analysis is practical recruitment guidance, not an official interpretation. Refer to official sources for applicable conditions and subsequent corrections.