Keir Starmer on the unemployment rate, PMQs 17 December 2025

The statement

I remind the Conservatives that, under their watch, unemployment averaged 5.4%—higher than it is today.

Keir Starmer, 17 December 2025. Source

What the sources report

• Office for National Statistics, series MGSX (Unemployment rate (aged 16 and over, seasonally adjusted): %), release of 2026-09-14 reports unemployment rate, aged 16 and over, seasonally adjusted (Aug–Oct 2025): 5.1%^src
• Office for National Statistics, series MGSX (Unemployment rate (aged 16 and over, seasonally adjusted): %), release of 2026-09-14 reports unemployment rate, aged 16 and over, seasonally adjusted (Mar–May 2010): 7.9%^src
• Office for National Statistics, series MGSX (Unemployment rate (aged 16 and over, seasonally adjusted): %), release of 2026-09-14 reports unemployment rate, aged 16 and over, seasonally adjusted (Apr–Jun 2024): 4.2%^src
• Office for National Statistics, series MGSX reports unemployment rate, aged 16 and over, seasonally adjusted (Apr–Jun 2026, latest): 4.7%^src

Notes

The latest figure published when this was said (16 December 2025) covered August to October 2025; the ONS series now shows 5.1% for that period.

The ONS series shows 7.9% for March to May 2010 and 4.2% for April to June 2024.

The latest ONS figure is 4.9% for April to June 2026.