Unemployment fell slightly in November, also fewer unemployment benefit recipients

Unemployment fell slightly in November. The number of unemployment benefit recipients also decreased last month. According to Statistics Netherlands (CBS), 3.6 percent of the working population was on the sidelines in November. In April of this year the unemployment rate was at 3.2 percent, the lowest since monthly measurements began in 2003. Unemployment then rose to 3.8 percent in September.

In November, 3.6 million people aged 15 to 75 were out of paid work for various reasons. In addition to those who were unemployed, there were 3.3 million people who have not recently searched for a job, or who were not immediately available for work. That group is not included as part of the labor force. Aside from people who are retired, this also includes people unable to work due to illness or because they have otherwise been incapacitated. In the last three months, this non-working population has decreased by an average of 11,000 per month.

In November, more than 10 million people were part of the labor force for the first time. This means that more than three-quarters of the population aged 15 to 75 years are part of the working population. This gross labor participation rate (75.3 percent) was the highest since the measurements began almost 20 years ago. At the same time, according to Statistics Netherlands, the number of non-workers fell to the lowest point recorded in that same 20 year period.

Last month, 364,000 people were unemployed. Over the past three months, the number of unemployed fell by an average of 5,000 per month. The number of people in work rose by an average of 36,000 per month during this period.

At the end of November, the benefits agency UWV issued 144,900 current unemployment benefits. That is a decrease of 3.1 percent compared to the end of October. This means that the number of unemployment benefits recipients fell for the second month in a row.

The number of unemployment recipients decreased in November in all age categories. The largest percentage decrease compared to October occurred in the 15 to 25 age group. Compared to a year ago, the number of unemployment benefits fell most sharply among the 45 to 55 age group and among the over-55s.