UK ONS Flags 19% Drop in Job Survey Responses After May-June Error
Updated
Updated · Reuters · Jun 19
UK ONS Flags 19% Drop in Job Survey Responses After May-June Error
1 articles · Updated · Reuters · Jun 19
Summary
A staffing mistake in May and early June cut responses in affected Labour Force Survey waves by 19%, the Office for National Statistics said, warning July labour-market figures will be lower quality.
Too few interviewers were assigned to the current survey instead of its planned replacement, reducing overall responses by 14% and forcing the ONS to impute more data.
James Benford said the biggest impact ran from May 3 to June 10, with residual effects lasting until June 17; subsequent releases should see a smaller hit.
Thursday's unemployment reading for the three months to April — which showed an unexpected dip to 4.9% — was unaffected.
The setback revives scrutiny of the ONS after pandemic-era response-rate problems prompted Bank of England concern and a government review, even as a revamped survey is due in 2027.