UK Unemployment Rate Rises To 5.0%

(RTTNews) - The UK unemployment rate increased slightly in the three months to March, the Office for National Statistics said Tuesday.

The jobless rate stood at 5.0 percent in the January to March period, up from 4.9 percent in the previous three-month period. The rate was expected to remain stable at 4.9 percent.

In the corresponding period last year, the rate was 4.5 percent.

The number of unemployed people totalled 1.806 million compared to 1.780 million in the December to February period. Meanwhile, the employment level was 34.392 million versus 34.328 million in the previous three-month period.

Data showed that the annual growth in employees' average earnings, excluding bonuses, in Great Britain was 3.4 in the January to March period, easing from 3.6 percent in the December to February period. Including bonuses, the wage growth accelerated to 4.1 percent from 3.9 percent.