Unemployment in the UK fell unexpectedly in the three months to August, to 4.7% from 4.9%.♪

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The Office for National Statistics figures, which provide a backdrop to the budget on 28 October, also showed that the number of payrolled employees rose by 13,000 between August and September, to 30.3m.♪

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However, the number of job vacancies fell by 21,000 to 691,000 in the three months to September, the lowest since 2021 during the Covid pandemic.♪

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Economists had expected the unemployment rate to rise to 5%.♪

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Average wage growth, including bonuses, has fallen to 3.7% from 3.9%.♪ Stripping out bonuses, average pay growth rose to 3.7% from 3.6%.♪

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Average pay growth remains above the 3.1% headline rate of inflation, which is of concern to Bank of England interest rate setters, who fear higher-than-expected inflation will translate into higher wage awards, fuelling future prices rises recorded by the consumer prices index (CPI).♪

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