What was claimed
The UK has the lowest unemployment since 1975.
Our verdict
Correct. It was at 4.3% between May and July 2017.
Unemployment in the UK since 1975
"We have the lowest unemployment since 1975."
Theresa Villiers MP, 12 October 2017
The UK does have the lowest unemployment since 1975, at 4.3% between May and July this year.
In Northern Ireland it’s as low as it has been since the recession in 2008, but it was much lower before.
Unemployment in Northern Ireland is now at 5.3%. Just before the recession it had fallen to as low as 3.8%.
Unemployment measures people without a job who have been actively seeking work within the last four weeks and are available to start work within the next two weeks, or who have found a job and are waiting to start in the next two weeks.