| Seasonally adjusted number of persons unemployed | Seasonally adjusted unemployment rate (%) | ||
| December 2017 | 147,100 | 6.2 | |
| November 2018 | 127,700 | 5.3 | |
| December 2018 | 127,100 | 5.3 | |
| Percentage Points | |||
| Change in month | - 600 | 0.0 | |
| Change in year | - 20,000 | - 0.9 |
The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for December 2018 was 5.3%, unchanged from November 2018 and down from 6.2% in December 2017. The seasonally adjusted number of persons unemployed was 127,100 in December 2018, down from 127,700 when compared to the November 2018 figure and a decrease of 20,000 when compared to December 2017.
Summary points for December
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Data in this release are subject to revision, caused by updates to the seasonally adjusted series whenever new monthly data are added. In addition, it should be noted that larger revisions can occur when the most recent Labour Force Survey (LFS) data are included in the calculation process. Revised figures will be produced upon the publication of each new set of benchmark figures from the LFS and these revisions will be included in the LFS release. For further information see here. |
| Table 1a Seasonally adjusted monthly unemployment by sex - All persons aged 15-74 years | |||||||||
| Number of persons | Unemployment rate (%) | ||||||||
| Males | Females | All Persons | Males | Females | All Persons | ||||
| 2016 | December | 96,500 | 77,100 | 173,600 | 7.7 | 7.2 | 7.5 | ||
| 2017 | January | 95,200 | 77,900 | 173,200 | 7.5 | 7.3 | 7.4 | ||
| February | 94,500 | 76,400 | 170,900 | 7.5 | 7.1 | 7.3 | |||
| March | 93,400 | 71,200 | 164,600 | 7.4 | 6.6 | 7.0 | |||
| April | 92,200 | 65,400 | 157,600 | 7.3 | 6.1 | 6.8 | |||
| May | 91,200 | 62,500 | 153,700 | 7.2 | 5.9 | 6.6 | |||
| June | 89,900 | 62,700 | 152,600 | 7.1 | 5.9 | 6.6 | |||
| July | 89,000 | 67,300 | 156,400 | 7.0 | 6.3 | 6.7 | |||
| August | 88,300 | 67,100 | 155,400 | 7.0 | 6.3 | 6.6 | |||
| September | 88,200 | 67,400 | 155,600 | 6.9 | 6.2 | 6.6 | |||
| October | 88,500 | 65,900 | 154,400 | 6.9 | 6.1 | 6.5 | |||
| November | 86,900 | 64,600 | 151,500 | 6.8 | 6.0 | 6.4 | |||
| December | 84,000 | 63,100 | 147,100 | 6.5 | 5.8 | 6.2 | |||
| 2018 | January | 79,000 | 62,200 | 141,200 | 6.2 | 5.7 | 6.0 | ||
| February | 76,500 | 61,600 | 138,000 | 6.0 | 5.7 | 5.8 | |||
| March | 76,200 | 61,600 | 137,800 | 5.9 | 5.7 | 5.8 | |||
| April | 77,100 | 61,500 | 138,600 | 6.0 | 5.6 | 5.8 | |||
| May | 77,600 | 61,900 | 139,500 | 6.0 | 5.6 | 5.9 | |||
| June | 76,200 | 62,200 | 138,400 | 5.9 | 5.7 | 5.8 | |||
| July | 74,800 | 64,200 | 139,000 | 5.8 | 5.8 | 5.8 | |||
| August | 73,200 | 62,400 | 135,600 | 5.7 | 5.7 | 5.7 | |||
| September | 71,600 | 61,400 | 133,000 | 5.6 | 5.6 | 5.6 | |||
| October | 69,900 | 60,200 | 130,100 | 5.4 | 5.5 | 5.4 | |||
| November | 68,700 | 59,000 | 127,700 | 5.3 | 5.4 | 5.3 | |||
| December | 68,400 | 58,700 | 127,100 | 5.3 | 5.3 | 5.3 | |||
| Table 1b Seasonally adjusted monthly unemployment by sex - persons aged 15-24 years | |||||||||
| Number of persons | Unemployment rate (%) | ||||||||
| Males | Females | All Persons | Males | Females | All Persons | ||||
| 2016 | December | 25,800 | 19,300 | 45,100 | 17.4 | 13.8 | 15.7 | ||
| 2017 | January | 23,700 | 18,300 | 42,000 | 16.1 | 13.1 | 14.6 | ||
| February | 22,600 | 17,200 | 39,800 | 15.5 | 12.3 | 13.9 | |||
| March | 23,600 | 16,600 | 40,200 | 16.1 | 11.9 | 14.0 | |||
| April | 25,000 | 16,200 | 41,200 | 17.0 | 11.7 | 14.4 | |||
| May | 25,500 | 16,100 | 41,600 | 17.5 | 11.9 | 14.8 | |||
| June | 24,800 | 16,700 | 41,500 | 17.3 | 12.6 | 15.1 | |||
| July | 22,800 | 17,600 | 40,500 | 16.6 | 14.0 | 15.4 | |||
| August | 21,700 | 17,500 | 39,100 | 16.0 | 14.3 | 15.2 | |||
| September | 21,200 | 16,700 | 38,000 | 15.5 | 13.6 | 14.6 | |||
| October | 21,600 | 15,300 | 36,900 | 15.1 | 12.2 | 13.8 | |||
| November | 21,500 | 14,700 | 36,200 | 14.8 | 11.6 | 13.3 | |||
| December | 21,600 | 15,100 | 36,700 | 14.7 | 11.8 | 13.3 | |||
| 2018 | January | 21,700 | 16,000 | 37,600 | 14.7 | 12.4 | 13.6 | ||
| February | 21,500 | 16,400 | 37,900 | 14.6 | 12.7 | 13.7 | |||
| March | 21,800 | 16,900 | 38,700 | 14.8 | 13.1 | 14.0 | |||
| April | 22,000 | 16,800 | 38,800 | 14.9 | 12.9 | 13.9 | |||
| May | 22,300 | 17,100 | 39,400 | 15.0 | 12.9 | 14.0 | |||
| June | 22,200 | 17,300 | 39,500 | 15.0 | 12.7 | 13.9 | |||
| July | 22,400 | 17,900 | 40,200 | 15.0 | 12.8 | 13.9 | |||
| August | 22,400 | 18,100 | 40,500 | 14.9 | 12.7 | 13.9 | |||
| September | 22,000 | 18,000 | 40,000 | 14.6 | 12.4 | 13.5 | |||
| October | 21,500 | 17,400 | 38,900 | 13.8 | 11.9 | 12.9 | |||
| November | 21,000 | 16,700 | 37,700 | 13.3 | 11.4 | 12.3 | |||
| December | 20,900 | 16,500 | 37,300 | 13.1 | 11.1 | 12.2 | |||
| Table 1c Seasonally adjusted monthly unemployment by sex - persons aged 25-74 years | |||||||||
| Number of persons | Unemployment rate (%) | ||||||||
| Males | Females | All Persons | Males | Females | All Persons | ||||
| 2016 | December | 70,700 | 57,800 | 128,500 | 6.4 | 6.2 | 6.3 | ||
| 2017 | January | 71,600 | 59,600 | 131,200 | 6.4 | 6.4 | 6.4 | ||
| February | 71,900 | 59,200 | 131,100 | 6.4 | 6.3 | 6.4 | |||
| March | 69,800 | 54,600 | 124,500 | 6.3 | 5.9 | 6.1 | |||
| April | 67,200 | 49,200 | 116,400 | 6.0 | 5.3 | 5.7 | |||
| May | 65,700 | 46,400 | 112,100 | 5.9 | 5.0 | 5.5 | |||
| June | 65,100 | 46,000 | 111,100 | 5.8 | 4.9 | 5.4 | |||
| July | 66,200 | 49,700 | 115,900 | 5.9 | 5.3 | 5.6 | |||
| August | 66,600 | 49,700 | 116,300 | 5.9 | 5.2 | 5.6 | |||
| September | 67,000 | 50,600 | 117,700 | 5.9 | 5.3 | 5.6 | |||
| October | 66,900 | 50,600 | 117,500 | 5.9 | 5.3 | 5.6 | |||
| November | 65,400 | 49,900 | 115,300 | 5.8 | 5.2 | 5.5 | |||
| December | 62,400 | 48,000 | 110,400 | 5.5 | 5.0 | 5.3 | |||
| 2018 | January | 57,400 | 46,200 | 103,600 | 5.1 | 4.8 | 5.0 | ||
| February | 55,000 | 45,100 | 100,100 | 4.8 | 4.7 | 4.8 | |||
| March | 54,400 | 44,700 | 99,100 | 4.8 | 4.7 | 4.7 | |||
| April | 55,100 | 44,700 | 99,800 | 4.8 | 4.6 | 4.8 | |||
| May | 55,300 | 44,800 | 100,100 | 4.9 | 4.6 | 4.8 | |||
| June | 53,900 | 44,900 | 98,900 | 4.7 | 4.7 | 4.7 | |||
| July | 52,500 | 46,300 | 98,700 | 4.6 | 4.8 | 4.7 | |||
| August | 50,800 | 44,300 | 95,200 | 4.5 | 4.6 | 4.5 | |||
| September | 49,600 | 43,400 | 93,000 | 4.4 | 4.5 | 4.4 | |||
| October | 48,400 | 42,800 | 91,300 | 4.3 | 4.5 | 4.4 | |||
| November | 47,700 | 42,300 | 90,000 | 4.2 | 4.4 | 4.3 | |||
| December | 47,500 | 42,200 | 89,700 | 4.2 | 4.4 | 4.3 | |||
Purpose
The purpose of this release is to provide a detailed series of monthly unemployment estimates. The release contains both monthly unemployment rates and monthly unemployment volumes.
Calculation of Monthly Estimates
The Labour Force Survey (LFS) provides benchmark estimates of employment and unemployment for each quarter since the beginning of 1998. These quarterly benchmark estimates are then used to compile monthly data using the Proportional Denton method. The main characteristic of this method is that the monthly Live Register series is used as an indicator to disaggregate the quarterly LFS unemployment series into a monthly series in such a way as to minimise the differences between two consecutive months. It also ensures that the average of three months in a particular calendar quarter is equal to the corresponding LFS estimate.
For months where the quarterly unemployment data is not yet available, the ratio of the LFS monthly estimate to the Live Register monthly estimate (i.e. the benchmark to indicator ratio) is forecast forward in order to extrapolate a monthly LFS estimate. The monthly series is revised each quarter when the latest quarterly data becomes available. This approach adheres to agreed international practice.
Seasonal Adjustment
To correct for typical seasonal patterns, the data series included have been concurrently seasonally adjusted. This seasonal adjustment is completed by applying the X-12-ARIMA model, developed by the U.S. Census Bureau. In the case of these monthly unemployment estimates, seasonal adjustment is conducted using the indirect approach, where each individual series is independently adjusted. To preserve consistency between the individual and aggregate series, the series for gender, age group and total monthly unemployed are then created from these component series. The series for monthly unemployment rates are likewise created from these component series.
Additional Background Information
Further information regarding the LFS and Live Register series are available from each respective release, while specific information regarding the new LFS and the impact of the revisions arising from the Census of Population 2016 is available in an additional information note.
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Show Table 1a Seasonally adjusted monthly unemployment by sex - all persons aged 15-74 years
Hide Table 1a Seasonally adjusted monthly unemployment by sex - all persons aged 15-74 years