LONDON

The UK's unemployment rate in the January-March period rose by 0.1 percentage points to reach 3.9%, marking the highest level since November 2021 to January 2022, the statistics authority said on Tuesday.

The rise in unemployment was predominantly driven by individuals who had been jobless for over 12 months, the Office for National Statistics said in its report.

There was a reduction of 136,000 employees on payrolls in April, bringing the total to 29.8 million.

"Vacancies fell on the quarter for the 10th consecutive period and reflect uncertainty across industries, as survey respondents continue to cite economic pressures as a factor in holding back on recruitment," the report said.

Adjusted for inflation, the growth in total pay and regular pay experienced a decline in the first quarter as well.

Total pay fell by 3% compared to the previous year, while regular pay dropped by 2%.

In March 2023, there were 556,000 working days lost due to labor disputes, showing an increase from 332,000 in Feb.​​​​​​​