Partial rescheduling of UK labour market statistics publication

The update of the Annual Population Survey, Claimant Count and Jobseeker’s Allowance datasets scheduled for 17 October has been put back to the 24 October.

ONS Statement

To improve the quality of our Labour Market estimates, including response rates, we are in the process of transforming the Labour Force Survey, asking more people in different ways about their engagement with the jobs market. The first figures from this new transformed survey are due to be published in our headline releases from next spring.

As we have explained previously – and in common with other national statistical institutes – response rates for some key ONS household surveys have been falling. This has complicated the production of some of the indicators based on the current UK Labour Force Survey (LFS).

Because of this, the publication of the next ONS Labour Force Survey (previously due on Tuesday 17 October) is being put back slightly to give us additional time to produce the best possible estimates of the labour market using the best available data sources. These data will now be published on Tuesday 24 October.

However, the earnings, vacancies and HMRC Real Time Information data will still be published as originally planned on Tuesday 17 October.

For clarity, the publication schedule will now be as follows:

Published on Tuesday 17 October at 0700

• Average weekly earnings in Great Britain: October 2023
• Vacancies and jobs in the UK: October 2023
• Earnings and employment from Pay As You Earn Real Time Information, UK: October 2023

The associated Time Series Data will be updated on Tuesday 24 October.

Published on Tuesday 24 October at 0700

• Labour market overview, UK: October 2023
• Employment in the UK: October 2023
• Labour market in the regions of the UK: October 2023

For further information please contact Labour.Market@ons.gov.uk