Non-Employment and Labour Availability

13 Pages Posted: 26 Apr 2005

See all articles by Michael Joyce

Michael Joyce

Bank of England - Monetary Analysis

Jerry Jones

Bank of England - Structural Economic Analysis Division

Jonathan Thomas

Bank of England - Structural Economic Analysis Division

Abstract

According to the Labour Force Survey, about 20% (approximately 7.5 million) of the non-student working-age population were not in paid employment in 2002. Of these people about one in five were classified as unemployed, with the remainder labelled as 'inactive.' Despite this categorisation, however, some groups in the so-called inactive population are as likely to move into employment as those classified as unemployed, so any comprehensive measure of labour availability needs to incorporate information on the characteristics of the non-employed pool as a whole. This paper describes the key trends in the demographic and skill structure of the non-employed population since the mid-1980s and contrasts them with those in employment. It also attempts to draw out the implications of these trends for overall labour availability, building on recent Bank research which models individual transition rates from non-employment into employment.

Suggested Citation

Joyce, Michael and Jones, Jerry and Thomas, Jonathan Mashe, Non-Employment and Labour Availability. Bank of England Quarterly Bulletin, Autumn 2003, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=706945

Michael Joyce (Contact Author)

Bank of England - Monetary Analysis ( email )

Threadneedle Street
London EC2R 8AH
United Kingdom
44 (0)207 601 4444 (Phone)

HOME PAGE: http://www.bankofengland.co.uk

Jerry Jones

Bank of England - Structural Economic Analysis Division ( email )

Threadneedle Street
London, EC2R 8AH
United Kingdom

Jonathan Mashe Thomas

Bank of England - Structural Economic Analysis Division ( email )

Threadneedle Street
London, EC2R 8AH
United Kingdom

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