Zombie closures will fuel 2026 rise in unemployment

In 2025, the number of jobs cut by companies through closure increased to the highest level since 2011, while the share of employment moving between sectors also rose.

In addition, levels of inactivity related to ill health hit a high, with over 9 million people of working age out of work or not looking for work, many of them due to long-term sickness or early retirement.