The unemployment rate is still 60% higher in the Eurozone than in Brexit Britain

In a cost-of-living crisis, jobs matter, and you’re better off in the UK than in the EU

Montage © Facts4EU.Org 2023

And for young people, in some EU countries more than one in five are unemployed

Below we present a summary of the latest unemployment figures, released by the Office for National Statistics on Tuesday (15 Aug 2023).

In Part One we looked at the almost one million extra jobs since the EU Referendum, and compared this with the 820,000 job losses forecast by tHM Treasury and the Cameron government within two years of the Referendum vote.

A Brexit Facts4EU two-parter on the jobs situation in the UK and the EU

Part One : Employment – How Brexit Britain defied the doom-mongers
Part Two : Unemployment – the rate is 60% higher in the Eurozone

Today we compare Brexit Britain with the EU in terms of their respective unemployment rates.

Unemployment in the UK versus unemployment in the EU

Brexit Facts4EU.Org Summary

Unemployment, 16-64 years old – Brexit Britain versus the Eurozone, June 2023

UK : 4.0%
Eurozone : 6.4% - 60% higher than in the UK

[Sources: Office for National Statistics and the EU Commission’s official statistics agency, Aug 2023.]

For years Brexit Facts4EU has published unemployment data for the UK and the EU, showing clearly that the UK has consistently performed better than the Eurozone and EU27.

The latest data we have summarised above shows Brexit Britain continuing to outperform the EU.

Brexit Facts4EU.Org Summary

The UK unemployment rate has dropped by 20% since the Referendum

June 2016 : 5.1%
June 2023 : 4.0%

[Source: Office for National Statistics.]

Despite the dramatic effects of the government’s lockdowns, the UK’s unemployment rate is well below the rate in June 2016 (5.1%), prior to the EU Referendum. The rate in the figures just published is 4.0%. This contrasts with the strident Project Fear forecasts of HM Treasury, the Government, and the Remain campaigns of an increase to between 6.7% and 7.5% if the UK voted Leave.

It’s better to be young in the United Kingdom, compared to the EU

Many times over the past 7+ years Facts4EU has published the youth unemployment rates for the UK and the EU. Without exception the rates in the EU have been far worse than in the UK. This helps to explain why so many young EU citizens headed for the UK under the EU’s ‘Freedom of Movement’ rules.

The latest data released by the Office for National Statistics on Tuesday proves to be no exception. The EU’s average youth unemployment rate of course hides the dire situation in many EU countries for its young people.

In fact more than half the EU27 countries have worse rates than the United Kingdom – and have had for many years. Below are the EU’s Top 10 worst offenders, with the UK as a comparison.

Brexit Facts4EU.Org Summary

Youth unemployment, 16-24 years old – Brexit Britain versus the EU27, June 2023

UK : 11.5%
EU27 average : 14.1%

[Sources: Office for National Statistics and the EU Commission’s official statistics agency, Aug 2023.]

Observations

Net Zero or jobs?

While governments are obsessing about Net Zero and inflation, millions of people across the EU have other things on their minds. One of the main preoccupations is having a job.

Since 2015 when the Facts4EU.Org team started collecting data, the EU has continuously suffered from the scourge of unemployment. The UK has outperformed the EU year after year, by highly significant margins. Our headline figure in today's report is the fact that the the Eurozone's average level of unemployment is 60% higher than in Brexit Britain. This is despite the claim by the Remainer government of David Cameron and George Osborne that up to 820,000 people would lose their jobs as a direct result of a vote to leave the European Union. In fact employment has risen by almost one million, as we reported on Wednesday.

"Dare to Think Differently"

When it comes to youth unemployment, the situation in some EU countries is dire, with close-on a quarter of young people being on the dole. Even worse, this has been entrenched in some countries, to the extent that 30 year-olds are still living with their parents.

Facts4EU.Org, together with CIBUK.Org, are determined to give the UK's young people the facts as part of our "Dare to Think Differently" campaign. In short, whether it's educational or job opportunities, it's better to be young in Brexit Britain.

We must get reports like this out there

Reports like the one above take far longer to research, write and produce than many people realise. If they were easy, readers would see other organisations also producing these daily. However, there’s little point in the Facts4EU.Org team working long hours, seven days-a-week, if we lack the resources to promote them effectively – to the public, to MPs, and to the media. This is where you come in, dear reader.

Facts4EU.Org needs you today

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[ Sources: EU Commission | Office for National Statistics ] Politicians and journalists can contact us for details, as ever.

Brexit Facts4EU.Org, Fri 18 Aug 2023

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Reader Comments 10

1. Ashley Great Britain , Friday, August 18, 2023, 06:37:

The funny thing is you can always find something to do.
There's always someone that needs something doing for money. Even if that's sweeping out pig pens you've got to start somewhere. Maybe we should send over British youngsters to do the jobs they don't want to do.

2. KB , Friday, August 18, 2023, 10:45:

UK productivity per worker is poor compared to many EU countries. Also we are well down the league table in average earnings.
Perhaps that is because we've shared out the available work between more workers ?

3. KB , Friday, August 18, 2023, 10:47:

Here's an interesting exercise:
Run a search on the Jobcentre Plus site for Fruit Picker or Vegetable picker.
See how many vacancies are advertised.

4. terence patrick hewett , Friday, August 18, 2023, 12:16:

@KB
The productivity of UK high-technology companies are amongst the highest in the world: but the overall productivity figures are low, because we have favoured importing foreign labour, to reduce labour costs, and to minimise capital investment, instead of investing in machinery and using automation.

5. NH , Friday, August 18, 2023, 13:28:

2. KB , "Also we are well down the league table in average earnings"
I am not sure how you are defining "well down the league" The figures I have seen show that the UK is significantly higher than Italy, Spain, Greece, Portugal and East Europe. The UK average earnings are similar to France, Belgium, Austria, Finland and below Germany, The Netherlands, Sweden and Denmark. However you have to remember that there is often a big difference between Gross Earnings and Nett Earnings, especially in the Nordic area. Obviously Norway and Switzerland have never been in the EU.
.
The important point about the facts4EU figures is they show that many of the countries in the Eurozone that would normally have a lower value currency (based on economic fundamentals) are suffering high levels of youth unemployment. The countries that would normally have a higher value currency, mainly Germany and the Netherlands, have lower levels of unemployment. I am not sure about the Swedish figures but I can only assume this is because of local problems.
.
This is highlighting structural problems with the "Euro experiment". I agree with the comment above (4. terence patrick hewett) about productivity this issue mainly relates to certain sectors of the economy. While we were in the EU we had no means to control this but now we do, if the government chooses to do this.
.
This report is about Brexit and it's obvious, which ever figures you look at, the fear stories have definitely not come true !

6. LuxuryBalloon , Friday, August 18, 2023, 14:31:

2 KB … the UK’s productivity should improve by itself now we are free from the shackles of the EU.

7. LuxuryBalloon , Friday, August 18, 2023, 14:43:

Is our low unemployment because of a shrinking labour force or a rise in employment?

8. KB , Friday, August 18, 2023, 16:13:

6 (LB) I don't understand how UK productivity would improve simply by leaving the EU. It might, if we actually used our Brexit freedoms, but clearly there is no intention of doing that.

9. KB , Friday, August 18, 2023, 16:18:

5. NH: yes we are well down the average income league table, which is what I said. Below France and slightly ahead of Italy and Spain.
This is on "purchasing power parity" figures. I don't think the "disposable income" figures change our league position much either.

10. NH , Friday, August 18, 2023, 17:52:

9. KB "purchasing power parity"
I am not referring to "purchase power parity". it's highly subjective, it it only applies to a small basket of goods and is very easy to manipulate. As previously stated UK income is well above Italy and Spain.
.
7. LB , "Is our low unemployment because of a shrinking labour force or a rise in employment?"
The number of people in employment has increased (as reported by Facts4EU 2 days ago) and there are an estimated 1 million+ job vacancies. It is clear that there is also economic inactivity, this is a function of wealth creation. Many people have decided to retire early and are clearly in a position to do so. It appears that others are either not suited to the jobs available, or prefer to live on benefits, or maybe prefer to work in the Black market.

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