See more Daily Mail on Google - save us as a Preferred SourceBy GREG HEFFER, POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT Published: 11:09 BST, 3 June 2026 | Updated: 11:14 BST, 3 June 2026
Around one in seven households in Britain is now jobless with the percentage of workless households reaching the highest level for two years, new data shows.According to figures from the Office for National Statistics, an estimated 14.4 per cent of UK households had no member in employment during January to March this year.This was the highest level since January to March 2024 (also 14.4 per cent), while the percentage of workless households was previously only higher in July to September 2017 (14.5 per cent).There are an estimated 21.99 million households in the UK where at least one member is aged 16 to 64 years of age.Three in five (59.7 per cent) had all household members aged 16 and over in employment during January to March this year.And an estimated 25.9 per cent of households had a mix of at least one working and one workless adult over the same period.The percentage of workless households was shown to have risen by 0.3 per cent in the first three months of this year - from 14.1 per cent in October to December 2025.The Tories warned the increase was 'more evidence that Labour isn't working'.
