The UK’s unemployment rate rose to 5.0% in the three months to September 2025, up from 4.8% previously, according to the Office for National Statistics.

Average regular earnings increased by 4.6%, but the number of payrolled employees declined by roughly 32 000 and job vacancies remained steady at around 723 000. The data suggest the labour market is losing momentum, raising questions about upcoming policy decisions from the Bank of England.