Jobless rate rises to 3.7, in line with Reuters poll
Basic pay growth strongest on record outside pandemic
BoE worried about inflation pressure in jobs market
Vacancies show first annual fall since early 2021
Inactivity rate falls as older people look for work

LONDON, Dec 13 Reuters Britain39;s jobless rate rose for a second month and there were other signs in data on Tuesday that some of the inflationary heat in the labour market is cooling as the economy stumbles, including an increase in older people looking for work.

But the Bank of England BoE which looks set to raise interest rates for the ninth consecutive meeting on Thursday was likely to note the strongest rise in basic pay on record, not including the period around the COVID19 pandemic.

Sterling briefly rose against the U.S. dollar and the euro after the figures were published by the Office for National Statistics ONS, before falling back.

The unemployment rate increased to 3.7 in the three months to October from 3.6 in the three months to September. Vacancies in the SeptembertoNovember period fell on an annual basis for the first time since early 2021 when Britain was under lockdown.

But regular pay rose by a strongerthanexpected 6.1 in the AugusttoOctober period, the biggest gain since records began in 2001, excluding jumps during the COVID19 pandemic which were distorted by lockdowns and government support measures.

Total pay including bonuses also increased by an annual 6.1, the ONS said….