The UK unemployment rate was unchanged at 4.9% in the three months to June 2026, defying expectations for a decline to 4.8%. The number of unemployed people fell by 36 thousand to 1.772 million, driven by a decrease in those unemployed for up to six months. However, unemployment was up by 88 thousand from a year earlier, reflecting an increase in the number of people unemployed for between six and 12 months.