UK unemployment rate rises for 6th straight month

The U.K. unemployment rate rose for a six straight month in December as renewed coronavirus restrictions shut down most businesses across the country

Virus Outbreak Britain (Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

The U.K. unemployment rate rose for a six straight month in December as renewed coronavirus restrictions shut down most businesses across the country

The Office for National Statistics said Tuesday that unemployment rose to 5.1% in December, up 0.1% from the previous month and 1.3% from a year earlier. The number of people on company payrolls has dropped by 726,000 since the pandemic began last February, with 58.5% of the decline coming among people under 25.

The figures don’t show the full impact of COVID-19 restrictions on employment because some 1.9 million workers remain on furlough. A government program covers 80% of their wages.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Monday announced plans to slowly end a national lockdown in England in hopes of safely reopening the economy and social life as infection rates drop and widespread vaccinations reduce the threat from COVID-19.