NI unemployment rate falls as earnings continue to rise, data reveals
The employment rate for people aged 16 to 64 rose 0.8 percentage points over the quarter and 0.1 percentage points on the year to 72.1%.
Northern Ireland (NI) labour market statistics, published by the NI Statistics & Research Agency, for July 2026 showed steady growth in payrolled employees and median earnings.
HMRC PAYE data found 820,800 people received pay in NI in June 2026, unchanged from the previous month and up 1.4% on the year.
The employment rate for people aged 16 to 64 rose 0.8 percentage points over the quarter and 0.1 percentage points on the year to 72.1%.
The number of employed people (aged 16 and over) stood at 901,000, up 12,000 from the last quarter and unchanged from last year.
The unemployment rate for March-May 2026 was 1.8%, down 0.4 percentage points over the quarter and 0.2 percentage points on the year.
Median monthly pay reached £2,480, rising £21 (0.9%) over the month and £115 (4.9%) over the year.
Total weekly hours worked in NI were estimated at 29.5 million, up 3.1% on the previous quarter but down 2.3% on the same period last year.
Economic inactivity rate decreased by 0.5 percentage points over the quarter and increased by 0.1 percentage points on the year to 26.5%.
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