The unemployment rate (ILO measure) is the share of the labour force who are without a job but actively seeking one. The claimant count is a headcount of people claiming unemployment-related benefits. They move together but are not the same: not everyone unemployed claims, and eligibility rules change over time.
Vacancies count open jobs employers are trying to fill; the claimant countcounts people claiming unemployment-related benefits. They measure different things — open positions versus claimants — and are not matching populations, so the gap between them is a directional signal, not a headcount of “jobs left over”.
Broadly, plentiful vacancies alongside a low claimant count point to a tight labour market with upward pressure on wages; the reverse points to slack.
Is the labour market tightening or weakening?
Compare labour demand (job vacancies) with the number of people claiming unemployment-related benefits to see whether the labour market is tightening or weakening. Both are counts in thousands, so they share one axis — but they track different populations, so read the two lines as directional indicators rather than a direct jobs-to-jobseekers match.
UK job vacancies (open positions) and the claimant count (people claiming unemployment-related benefits), both in thousands, seasonally adjusted. Directional indicators of labour-market pressure, not matching populations.
Unemployment & Vacancy Trends
Unemployment rate for people aged 16 and over, seasonally adjusted.
UK job vacancies, thousands, seasonally adjusted.
Claimants & Young Jobseekers
People claiming unemployment-related benefits, thousands, seasonally adjusted.
Unemployment rate for 16-24 year-olds compared with the overall 16+ rate. Both are percentages, so they compare directly.
Data source:Office for National Statistics (ONS) Labour Market Statistics. The unemployment rate (ILO) is a rolling three-month average; the claimant count and vacancies are also published monthly. Reference periods shown for rolling series (e.g. “May–Jul”) span the full three months.