Weekly redundancy notices in the UK have surged to a pandemic-era high, with the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reporting 8,900 planned layoffs per week — a 76% increase compared to the same period last year. The figure, the highest since December 2020, comes as unemployment rises to 5% and the number of 16-24 year olds not in education, employment, or training (NEET) exceeds one million for the first time since 2013. Critics point to Labour's tax hikes, minimum wage increases, and regulatory changes as the primary drivres.

8,900 weekly redundancies: a 76% year-on-year jump

The ONS data, compiled from compulsory redundancy notification forms submitted by employers planning to cut 20 or more staff, shows the average weekly figure for the four weeks to 17 May. The report notes a 24% increase from just a week earlier, indicating that the trend is accelerating. The last time the rate was higher was during the Covid-19 lockdowns in December 2020, according to the ONS figures cited in the source.

Young workers bear the brunt as NEET numbers top one million

Separate ONS data released a day earlier showed that the number of 16-24 year olds not in employment, education, or training has climbed above one million for the first time since late 2013.. critics of Labour's policies argue that young people are disproportionately affected. next CEO Simon Wolfson said that entry-level job opportunities have suffered a "dramatic fall", with the cost of hiring younger staff rising by 14% due to national insurance and minimum wage increases.

Business leaders speak out: from Next's Wolfson to Hollywood Bowl's Burns

Simon Wolfson, chief executive of retail giant Next, warned that the government's cost increases are causing a "dramatic fall" in entry-level positions. Stephen Burns , boss of ten-pin bowling operator Hollywood Bowl, told the source that his company is now hiring experienced staff over younger applicants because of climbing costs. Meanwhile, the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) reported falling hiring intentions, with CEO Neil Carberry noting that "most pessimism around all short- and medium-term hiring is now coming from small businesses who will be feeling the squeeze of government-imposed cost rises most."

A political blame game and an unanswered question

The source quotes Conservative business spokesman Andrew Griffith condemning policy: "This sign of impending redundancies is more bad news for a jobs market broken by Labour's tax hikes and 1970s-style employment laws." However, the source does not include any response from Labour officials to these specific figures. The article also references "Donald Trump's Iran war" as a factor pushing up costs and inflation, a claim that remains unverified and politically loaded . What remains unclear is whether the redundancy surge extends beyond large firms—since the ONS data only captures plans for 20 or more layoffs—and what sectoral breakdowns exist.