British prime minister Andy Burnham has promised a 'clear guarantee of support' to young people, alongside 'big changes' to the way the welfare system operates. (EPA Images pic) LONDON: Britain's unemployment rate fell unexpectedly in the three months to the end of August, official data showed Tuesday, boosting the Labour government ahead of its budget update next week.
The jobless rate dropped to 4.7%, its lowest level since the three months to end-July in 2025, the Office for National Statistics said.
Analysts had forecast that unemployment would remain steady at 4.9% compared with the three months to end-July 2026.
The data will be welcome news for prime minister Andy Burnham, who has set the stage for difficult decisions to be made in the Oct 28 budget presentation.
