Responding to the latest ONS labour market data, Claire Harding, Research Director at Centre for London said:

“Today’s labour market figures show that even before the impact of Omicron, London had the highest unemployment rate in the country: 20 per cent above the English average, and only very slightly down on the last quarter.

“The requirement to work from home, and consumers’ concerns about catching the new variant, will hit London’s retail and hospitality businesses hard, damaging this fragile recovery.

“The government must reinstate support for businesses and employees who have been hard hit by the pandemic, to avoid Omicron threatening both Londoners’ health and their livelihoods.”