Unemployment by ethnic background

Analysis produced to date suggests that workers who are from a minority ethnic background have been one of the groups most negatively impacted economically by the coronavirus outbreak. 

The unemployment rate for people from a minority ethnic background was 9.5% in October-December 2020, up from 5.8% in the same period the year before. The unemployment rate for people from White ethnic backgrounds also rose, from 3.1% to 4.5%. Unemployment rates for people from both White and minority ethnic backgrounds are below the rates seen prior to the economic downturn in 2008.

In October-December 2020, unemployment levels for people from a minority ethnic background increased by 142,000, and by 321,000 for people from a White background from the same period in 2019.

In the 12 months to September 2020, the unemployment rate was highest for people from a Pakistani (9%), or Black (9%) ethnic background. The unemployment rate was lowest for people from a White, Indian (4%), or Chinese (5%) ethnic background.