CBS Statistics Netherlands : Unemployment further down in December

From October to December, the size of the Dutch labour force (the active and unemployed labour force combined) increased by 10 thousand people monthly on average. This is mainly due to a sharp increase in the number of employed in October and November. In December, 4.1 million people aged 15 to 74 years did not have paid work for a variety of reasons. In addition to the unemployed, 3.8 million people were not looking and/or immediately available for work recently. These people are not counted towards the labour force. Their number decreased by an average of 5 thousand per month over the past three months.

Werkzame beroeps-bevolkingEmployed labour forceWerkloze beroeps-bevolking (ILO-definitie)Unemployed labourforce (ILO definition)BeroepsbevokingLabour fourceNiet-beroepsbevolkingNot included in labourforceBevolking 15 tot 75 jaar,particuliere huishoudens(prognose)Population, 15 to 74 yrs,private households(forecast)Veranderingen beroepsbevolkingChanges in labour force composition

Unemployment declined in December

In order to enable comparison of cyclical movements in the labour market between countries, the unemployment indicator of the International Labour Organization (ILO) is often taken as a measure. According to this indicator, the 'unemployed' includes all persons who do not have paid work but who have been looking for paid work recently and who are immediately available. This covers the population aged 15 to 74 years. There were 368 thousand unemployed in December, equivalent to 3.9 percent of the labour force. In November, this was 4.0 percent (378 thousand). Between March and August, unemployment rose by over 150 thousand. Subsequently, it fell by nearly 60 thousand up through December.

2012	January	486	292
2012	February	482	299
2012	March	487	296
2012	April	502	292
2012	May	501	291
2012	June	502	291
2012	July	518	298
2012	August	517	304
2012	September	530	304
2012	October	539	310
2012	November	554	322
2012	December	572	340
2013	January	589	369
2013	February	601	377
2013	March	619	380
2013	April	625	380
2013	May	632	378
2013	June	648	382
2013	July	666	395
2013	August	670	399
2013	September	675	400
2013	October	680	408
2013	November	677	419
2013	December	687	438
2014	January	691	460
2014	February	699	460
2014	March	692	454
2014	April	684	443
2014	May	672	436
2014	June	656	431
2014	July	648	437
2014	August	637	430
2014	September	630	420
2014	October	632	419
2014	November	635	425
2014	December	643	441
2015	January	645	458
2015	February	633	455
2015	March	626	443
2015	April	625	427
2015	May	617	416
2015	June	611	410
2015	July	603	420
2015	August	604	420
2015	September	609	417
2015	October	616	421
2015	November	596	427
2015	December	588	446
2016	January	574	465
2016	February	581	469
2016	March	574	470
2016	April	572	461
2016	May	560	448
2016	June	550	438
2016	July	541	432
2016	August	521	427
2016	September	510	424
2016	October	502	420
2016	November	499	410
2016	December	482	412
2017	January	480	419
2017	February	473	416
2017	March	463	415
2017	April	456	401
2017	May	456	386
2017	June	446	372
2017	July	436	364
2017	August	426	362
2017	September	422	351
2017	October	404	343
2017	November	397	337
2017	December	395	330
2018	January	380	335
2018	February	367	330
2018	March	357	327
2018	April	355	314
2018	May	352	301
2018	June	354	288
2018	July	348	279
2018	August	353	278
2018	September	343	274
2018	October	337	269
2018	November	326	267
2018	December	329	263
2019	January	329	279
2019	February	312	274
2019	March	307	268
2019	April	300	257
2019	May	302	251
2019	June	313	243
2019	July	313	234
2019	August	321	237
2019	September	323	233
2019	October	323	233
2019	November	324	228
2019	December	302	223
2020	January	284	241
2020	February	274	240
2020	March	273	250
2020	April	314	292
2020	May	330	301
2020	June	404	301
2020	July	419	301
2020	August	426	292
2020	September	413	278
2020	October	406	278
2020	November	378	276
2020	December	368	286

UWV: More unemployment benefits in December

At the end of December 2020, UWV provided 286 thousand current unemployment (WW) benefits. This is over 9 thousand benefits more than in the previous month, an increase of 3 percent. In December, the number of WW benefits was up in the construction sector in particular (25 percent). This is customary for this time of year. More benefits were also seen in another seasonally sensitive sector, namely agriculture (14 percent). In addition, the number of WW benefits rose in the temporary employment sector (10 percent) and in the sector accommodation and food services and catering (10 percent). Accommodation and food services and temporary employment are two of the sectors severely affected by the measures limiting contact between people to contain the coronavirus pandemic.

UWV: Sharp increase in 2020 among young people

Compared to December 2019, the number of WW benefits increased by 28 percent. An increase was seen in all age categories. The number of WW benefits among young people under the age of 25 rose most substantially by far: from 9.1 thousand at the end of 2019 to 19.5 thousand at the end of 2020. This represents an increase of 114 percent.

Lower number of unemployed

The decline in the number of unemployed over the past three months is the result of underlying flows between the active, unemployed and inactive labour force. This is visualised in the diagram below.

Niet-beroepsbevolkingWerkzameberoepsbevolkingWerklozeberoepsbevolkingZijn nietmeer opzoek naarwerkStoppen metwerken enverlaten dearbeidsmarktTreden toeen vindendirect een baanGaan opzoek naarwerkWordenwerkloosVindeneen baanStromen tussen arbeidspositiesSeizoengecorrigeerd; verandering t.o.v. drie maanden eerderInactivelabour forceActivelabour forceUnemployedlabour forceNo longerseeking workQuit work, leftlabour marketEnteredlabour market,found workStarted seekingworkBecameunemployedFoundworkLabour market flowsSeasonally adjusted; changes relative to 3 months previously

In December, 368 thousand people were unemployed. This number stood at 413 thousand three months previously, in September. This means that unemployment declined by 45 thousand over this period (15 thousand per month on average). On the one hand, this was because there were more unemployed who found work (from unemployed to employed) than employed who lost their job and became unemployed (from employed to unemployed). On balance, this resulted in unemployment declining by 28 thousand over the past three months.

On the other hand, unemployment also declined because there were fewer people who started looking with no direct result (from inactive labour force to unemployed) than people who stopped looking and/or were not available (from unemployed to inactive labour force). On balance, this resulted in 17 thousand fewer unemployed persons.

Every month, CBS publishes figures on the labour force in accordance with international guidelines. The corresponding indicators, i.e. the employed and unemployed labour force, are used around the world to describe cyclical developments on the labour market. Monthly figures are essential in this respect. In addition, UWV issues its own monthly figures on unemployment benefits. Figures released by UWV do not correspond one-to-one with the labour force indicators.