UK jobless rate seen at 11-year high in 2026 as labour costs rise

LONDON, U.K.: Britain's labor market is expected to weaken further this year, with unemployment forecast to climb to its highest level in more than a decade as rising labor costs weigh on hiring, a leading economic think tank said.

The National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR) said the jobless rate is likely to average 5.4 percent in 2026, up from 4.8 percent in 2025 and above the forecasts of m