Economics

Britain’s Workforce Shrinks Despite a Surge in Wages and Bonuses

Covid and Brexit have reduced the number of people with jobs
Shift has surprised and concerned Bank of England officials

Morning commuters on London Bridge in City of London, UK, on May 16.
Photographer: Jason Alden/Bloomberg

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By Andrew Atkinson

May 17, 2022 at 10:22 AM UTC

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Wages in the UK are rising, and employers are paying bonuses to recruit workers in a scarce market. Yet people who left the labor market during the pandemic are staying away.