Jobs: Wales' unemployment rate falls to 3.8%

Only the East and South West England had a lower unemployment rate than Wales, figures show

Unemployment in Wales fell slightly to 3.8% between July and September, according latest figures.

A total of 58,000 people were unemployed, with the rate in Wales lower than the UK average of 4.3%.

Compared with the three months to June, unemployment has fallen by 4,000 in Wales.

And it has dropped by 12,000 compared to the three months to September last year, the Office of National Statistics (ONS) has said.

Only the east and south west England had a lower unemployment rate than Wales during the most recent quarter.

Across the UK, there were 160,000 more workers on payrolls in October than in September despite the end of the furlough scheme, according to the data.

Job vacancies also hit a fresh record high of 1.17 million in the three months to October as firms continued to struggle with worker shortages.

The hospitality and haulage industry have been reporting a shortage of workers

• Jobs recovery continues despite end of furlough

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Analysis by Huw Thomas, BBC Wales business correspondent

These figures offer a snapshot of the labour market in Wales, and the low unemployment rate tallies with remarks from businesses that say they are struggling to recruit enough staff.

Low unemployment, and relatively high employment figures, suggest it will remain difficult for industries to recruit staff.

As we have reported in recent months, the shortage of workers is particularly acute in food production and hospitality, as well as the haulage industry.

These figures also offer a glimpse of the impact of the end of furlough, which paid some staff wages during the pandemic before it ended on 30 September.

They suggest that the majority of workers who were furloughed in September were employed in October.

The assessment is backed by the Resolution Foundation's survey of 6,060 workers which found 88% of furloughed staff in September were back in work last month.