Labor Market Statistics | Department of Economics

Labor market statistics for Northern Ireland, containing HMRC real-time information data and NI redundancy data, were published today by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Institute.

Users will be aware that NISRA publishes key labor market indicators for Northern Ireland on the same day. Importantly, this long-term arrangement enables Northern Ireland’s position to be considered in the wider context of the UK as a whole.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has taken the decision to delay the next release of UK and regional labor market estimates based on the UK Labor Force Survey (previously due on Tuesday 17 October). It also includes details of the number of claimants. This information will now be released on Tuesday, October 24. ONS explained the reason for the delay Report, They published it on Friday, October 13.

In line with our long-standing arrangements and to ensure NI estimates continue to be seen in the wider UK context, NISRA has decided to delay the publication of Northern Ireland results from the Labor Force Survey and claimant count information until 24.^Th October – In line with arrangements prompted by the ONS.

Users viewing the ONS report can be reassured that response rates to the Labor Force Survey in Northern Ireland continue to be strong, and for that we are grateful to the public of Northern Ireland. We will continue to work with the ONS on this matter.

Nisra apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause.

Paid While the monthly income remains the same, the employees increase monthly

• The number of employees paid by HMRC PAYE in NI in September 2023 was 793,700, an increase of 0.3% month-on-month and 1.7% increase year-on-year.
• When employees are considered by age, only the 25-34 age group has not returned to pre-Covid levels, remaining 0.3% below March 2020 numbers.
• Earnings data from HMRC PAYE shows that the average monthly salary of NI employees was £2,097 in September 2023, unchanged for the month and an increase of £132 (6.7%) over the year.

The proposed layoffs are three times more than the previous year

• NISRA, acting on behalf of the Department for the Economy, confirmed 420 layoffs in September 2023. From October 2022 to September 2023, 1,810 layoffs were confirmed, 64.0% more than in the previous 12 months (1,100).
• 170 layoffs are proposed in September 2023, bringing the annual total to 4,390, more than three times the previous year’s total (1,410).

commentary

• The latest labor market release shows both the number of paid employees and earnings increased over the year. Annual totals for proposed and confirmed layoffs increased compared to the previous year, with proposed layoff totals similar to pre-pandemic levels. The total number of confirmed layoffs is below the long-term trend.
• The latest HMRC payroll data shows that the number of paid employees rose by 0.3% month-on-month and by 1.7% year-on-year. Earned income was unchanged this month and was 6.7% higher than in September 2022.
• In addition, the department was notified of 420 confirmed redundancies in September 2023, bringing the total number of confirmed redundancies over the twelve months to 1,810. It was the seventh consecutive month that the number exceeded 1,000, and equaled the highest total recorded since March 2022, although the figure was below the long-term trend. In September 2023, 170 proposed layoffs were notified to the department, bringing the annual total from October 2022 to September 2023 to 4,390. This is the second-highest number in a twelve-month period after August 2021 and is similar to pre-pandemic levels.

Notes for Teachers:

1. The statistical report and related tables are available here:

https://www.nisra.gov.uk/publications/labour-market-report-october-2023

2. Redundancies are provided by companies under the Employment Rights (Northern Ireland) Order 1996 (amended 8 October 2006), which legally requires the Department to notify the Department of impending redundancies of 20 or more employees. Companies proposing fewer than 20 layoffs are not required to notify the department, so the figures provided may underestimate the total job losses, however, the magnitude of the shortfall cannot be quantified. All else being equal, we expect more layoffs in sectors dominated by large businesses because they meet the collective layoff criteria of 20 or more.
3. Redundancy totals relating to fewer than three businesses are not disclosed to prevent possible identification of individual businesses. The Statistical Disclosure Control Policy is available at: https://www.nisra.gov.uk/publications/redundancies-background-information. If the number of businesses does not meet the threshold for publication (as described in the Statistical Disclosure Control Policy), individual monthly totals will not be published.
4. HMRC’s Pay As You Earn (PAYE) Real Time Information (RTI) system is an administrative data source. The PAYE RTI system is a system used by employers to collect income tax and national insurance contributions before paying employees. These data relate to employees paid by employers only and do not include self-employment income.
5. Estimates of the number of paid employees and employee income from PAYE are classified as test statistics because they are still in a developmental stage. Consequently, the data is subject to corrections. Preliminary estimates for September 2023 (Flash Estimates) are based on about 85% information and are subject to revision in the next month’s release when 98% to 99% data is available (Main Estimates). The amount of corrections for main and flash estimates are similar for employees, while flash estimates for earnings are generally larger than the main estimate. HMRC PAYE covers the whole population rather than a sample of employees or firms. The data is based on where employees live, not the location of their place of work within the UK. The data is seasonally adjusted, but not adjusted for inflation.
6. The Labor Market Report will be of interest to policy makers, public bodies, the business community, banks, economic critics, academics and the general public interested in the local economy.
7. The Labor Market Report will be updated on Tuesday 24th to include Labor Force Survey results and the number of claimants.^Th October 2023.
8. The Labor Market Report will then be published on the Nisra website on Tuesday 14^Th November 2023.
9. For media enquiries, contact the Department for the Economy Press Office at [email protected]
10. The Executive Information Service operates around-the-clock service For media inquiries only 1800 hrs to 0800 hrs Monday to Friday and on weekends and public holidays. The Duty Press Officer can be contacted at 028 9037 8110.
11. To keep updated with the news of the Department, you can follow us on the following social media channels:
    1. Twitter – @Economy_NI
    2. facebook – @DeptEconomyNI
    3. Instagram – Economy_Min
    4. LinkedIn – Department for Economics NI

12. Feedback is welcome and should be addressed to:

Responsible Statistician:

Mark McFetridge,

Economic and Labor Market Statistics (ELMS),

[email protected] or Tel: 028 902 55172.

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