Question follow-through · 3264

Unemployment: Government Assistance

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the increase in the unemployment rate to 5 per cent in the first quarter of 2026; what estimate his Department has made of the number of additional people expected to beco

answeredDepartment for Work and Pensions

About this written question

A written question asks a government minister for information in writing. Parliament publishes the question and any answer.

Answering body: Department for Work and Pensions
Tabled: 20 May 2026
Target answer date: 1 Jun 2026
Answer: 8 Jun 2026 · 19 calendar days after tabling

Elapsed calendar days describe the record timeline, not whether Parliament considers an answer on time.

Recorded timeline

20 May 2026
Question tabled
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the increase in the unemployment rate to 5 per cent in the first quarter of 2026; what estimate his Department has made of the number of additional people expected to beco
1 Jun 2026
Target answer date
Date supplied by the official written-questions record.
8 Jun 2026
Answer published
The unemployment rate has fallen 0.2%pts on the quarter to 5.0%. We work closely with employers in sectors such as hospitality and retail to help people move into work, including where vacancy levels have reduced. This is delivered through a consistent em...

Open official record

Official data retrieved 28 Sept 2026.

Later records

Possible follow-up questions

Strong links require the same MP, department and exact heading. Other same-department questions are shown as unreviewed candidates, not as confirmed follow-ups. No debate link is asserted unless a stable source relationship exists.