UK Unemployment Hits 5-Year High I UK Economy Revision

UK unemployment rose to 5.2% in February 2026, the highest level in five years, while youth unemployment has surged to 16%, the highest in a decade. In this video, we analyse possible causes including weaker labour demand, rising employment costs from higher National Insurance contributions and minimum wages, and the growing impact of AI on entry-level jobs. We also evaluate whether this rise reflects cyclical weakness from slow economic growth or longer-term structural changes in the labour market. #UKUnemployment #ALevelEconomics