As a result, the number of people claiming work-related benefits rose to more than 2.6 million in the same time period. With many businesses now able to take staff off of furlough leave, there could be a large wave of job losses over the next few months, with many more people having to claim benefits.
ONS also revealed that since the start of the coronavirus lockdown, total weekly hours worked in the UK had fallen by a record 175.3 million (16.7%), to just 877.1 million hours.
The report states: “This was the largest annual decrease since estimates began in 1971, with total hours dropping to its lowest level since May to July 1997. Vacancies in the UK in April to June 2020 are at the lowest level since the survey began in April to June 2001, at an estimated 333,000; this is 23% lower than the previous record low in April to June 2009.”