UK Jobs Market Fares Better Than Feared Ahead of BOE Meeting

Workers pass Bank London Underground station in the City of London.Photographer: Jose Sarmento Matos/Bloomberg

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By Tom Rees, Philip Aldrick, and Irina Anghel

March 19, 2026 at 7:04 AM UTC

Updated on

March 19, 2026 at 8:45 AM UTC

UK unemployment held steady and employers hired more staff in early signs that the labor market may be stabilizing ahead of the Bank of England’s interest-rate decision later today.

Tax data showed the number of employees on payrolls rose 20,000 in February after a 6,000 increase the previous month, the Office for National Statistics said on Thursday. Economists had expected a 10,000 decline and it was the biggest hiring spree by businesses since October 2024.