10.06.14
Public sector employment figures continue to fall
Public sector employment figures fell by 11,000 between December 2013 and March 2014, according to new figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
The drop escalates to 103,000 when the reclassification of Lloyds Banking Group plc is included. The bank was included in the public sector data from December 2008 to December 2013, but was placed back in the private sector for statistical purposes from March 2014.
In total, after the removal of the 103,000 jobs, the number of people employed in the public sector for March 2014 was 5.4m.
The latest labour market statistics highlight the long-term trend that has seen public sector employment figures falling since March 2010. The quarterly figures also revealed that in March this year, only 17.7% of employed people worked in the public sector with the remaining 82.3% working in the private sector.
Within the public sector figures, though, 1.58 million people were employed in the NHS, 10,000 more than for December 2013 and 12,000 more than year earlier.
In addition, 1.07 million people were employed in public administration, little changed compared with December 2013 but 13,000 fewer than a year earlier; 1.52 million people were employed in education, little changed compared with December 2013 but 40,000 more than a year earlier; and 423,000 people were employed in HM Forces and the police, little changed compared with December 2013 but 16,000 fewer than for a year earlier.
In total, the ONS figures revealed that there were 30.54 million people in work, 345,000 more than for November 2013 to January 2014 and 780,000 more than a year earlier.
Minister for employment Esther McVey said: “As we build a stronger economy, businesses up and down the country are feeling increasingly confident about creating jobs, meaning many thousands more people are in work every day – ensuring a better future for them, their families, and for the country as a whole.”
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