Northern Ireland unemployment rate 'falls back to 2019 level'

The number of people on company payrolls in April was 774,600, an increase of 0.4% over the month and 4.5% over the year

The unemployment rate in Northern Ireland fell back to its record low in the first quarter of this year, official figures suggest.

The rate in the period January to March was 2.3%, a statistically significant fall of 1.2 percentage points over the year.

That matches the record low level reached in 2019.

Most other indicators also point to a continuing post-Covid jobs market recovery.

The number of people on company payrolls in April was 774,600, an increase of 0.4% over the month and 4.5% over the year.

This is the highest on record and the eleventh consecutive month that employee numbers have been above pre-Covid levels.

• NI unemployment rates back to pre-pandemic levels

• Unemployment rate in Northern Ireland rises to 3.6%

The Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (Nisra) says a closer look at the annual increase (4.5%) in payroll jobs shows that the accommodation and food service, activities and arts, entertainment and recreation sectors reported the largest percentage increases over the year (17%).

All regions of the UK saw payrolls increasing over the year to April 2022, with London recording the largest increase (5.7%) and the East of England recording the smallest (3.6%).

Northern Ireland had the third highest annual increase, recording a higher increase than the UK average (4.5% and 4.2% respectively).

However, the recovery is not complete - total hours worked, self employment and the overall employment rate are still below pre-pandemic levels in Northern Ireland.

Nisra said: "When comparing to the pre-pandemic levels, the total number of hours worked in January-March 2022 was 1.1% below, whilst the employment rate was 0.2 percentage points below.

"Similarly, the economic inactivity rate remains 0.2 percentage points above the pre-pandemic position."