With lockdown restrictions easing and set to ease further in the not so distant future, the hospitality industry is rehiring or taking staff off of furlough and this will increase when the Government decides to open up totally, just extended into July.  This has reduced the unemployment figure for the quarter to April, to 4.8% from March's figure of 4.7%, with approximately 1.5 million people out of work. There are though nearly 2 million people still on furlough and their future could impact greatly on this number. The Bank of England is forecasting a post furlough unemployment figure of 5.5 %, the scheme currently finishing in September.

This is the fourth consecutive month of improvement and we may see a similar reduction in the quarters to May and June in due course.