UK unemployment holds at 4.9% in May

UK unemployment stayed at 4.9% for the three months to May 2026, even as payroll data showed a drop in company payrolls and vacancies continued to ease, pointing to a mixed jobs picture. Wages remained firm, with regular pay at about 3.4% and total pay higher, while employment rose overall and second jobs increased, underscoring a still-tight but gradually softening labor market.