Britain's employment rate hits record high since 1971

LONDON -- The employment rate in Britain was estimated at 76.1 percent between November 2018 and January 2019, hitting the highest level since 1971, according to figures published Tuesday by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

Statistics showed that the figure of the employed was 32.7 million for the three months to January 2019.

Britain's unemployment rate was estimated at 3.9 percent during the three months, with the rate below 4 percent for the first time since 1975.

The European country's economic inactivity rate was estimated at 20.7 percent, hitting the lowest point since 1971.

"The employment rate has reached a new record high, while the proportion of people who are neither working nor looking for a job -- the so-called 'economic inactivity rate'-- is at a new record low," Matt Hughes, deputy head of labor market at the ONS, said.

James Knightley, ING bank's chief international economist, tweeted Tuesday that "Early release of UK jobs data shows employment rising 222,000 in the three months to January, 102,000 more than expected!"