On December 1st 2021, the Central Statistics Office (CSO) published the Monthly Unemployment (MU) figures for November 2021. 135,700 people were unemployed in November 2021, a drop of 14,100 over the year. The Monthly Unemployment Rate (MUR) was 5.2%, down one percentage point. Unemployment decreased for both men and women over the period, by 10,600 and 3,500 respectively. Women accounted for 46% of the unemployed in November 2021, and 44% in November 2020.
In November 2021, 37,700 people aged 15-24 were unemployed: 7,100 fewer young people than a year ago. Their MUR was 10.9% in November 2021, six percentage points lower than November 2020. Over the year unemployment decreased amongst young men by 11% to 19,800, and their unemployment rate was 11%. Unemployment amongst young women also decreased by 20% to 17,900, and their unemployment rate was 10.9%. In November 2021, women accounted for 47% of those unemployed in this age category, and 50% in November 2020.
For people aged 25-74, 98,000 people were unemployed, a decrease of 6,900 people over the year and their MUR decreased by 0.6pp to 4.3%. Over the year unemployment decreased for men by 13% to 52,900, and their MUR was 4.4%. While unemployment increased for women by 2.5% to 45,100, and their Monthly Unemployment Rate (MUR) was at 4.3%. Women accounted for 46% of those unemployed in this age category in November 2021, an increase of four percentage points over the year.
The impact of COVID-19
To allow for and capture the impact of COVID-19 on the labour market, the Central Statistics Office produce a lower and an upper bound to the monthly unemployment figures. The ‘upper bound’ assumes that everyone on a COVID-19 unemployment payment would be classified as unemployed. In this case the number of people out of work increases to 179,720 and the unemployment rate is 6.9%. Women accounted for 45% of the upper bound of people out of work, and their Monthly Unemployment Rate (MUR) was 6.7%.
This month the COVID-19 adjusted unemployment figures for people aged 15-24 years are lower than the Monthly Unemployment (MU) figures, with an ‘upper bound’ of young people out of work standing at 34,307 in comparison to the MU figure of 37,700. Young people’s COVID-19 adjusted MUR moves from a lower bound of 9% to an upper bound of 10.2%, while the standard MUR is higher at 10.9%. Women accounted for 49% of those unemployed in this age category and their unemployment rate was 10.3%.
Like the overall figure, the COVID-19 adjusted unemployment figure for people aged 25-74 years is higher than the standard MU figure, with an upper bound of people out of work standing at 145,413 and their MUR ranging from 4.2% to 6.5%. Women accounted for 44.5% of those unemployed in this age category and their MUR was 6.1%.
A year ago the COVID-19 adjusted unemployment figures were much higher. The overall figure was 491,395 people unemployed with an unemployment rate of 20.4%. The upper bound for young people in November 2020 was 125,877, with an unemployment rate of 49.1%. While for people aged 25-74 years, the figures were 365,518 and 17% respectively.