bbcuk--2020-08-10--How will I get my A-level, GCSE or BTEC exam results this year?

Hundreds of thousands of 18-year-olds in England , Wales and Northern Ireland will receive their A-level and vocational qualification results on Thursday .
This year 's results are very different , because coronavirus meant that students did not sit exams , and it 's all about predictions .
When will I get my results ?
Results come out at different times throughout the summer .
• 13 August ( 08:00 BST ) England , Wales and Northern Ireland 's A-level and AS-level results and A-level equivalent technical qualifications like BTECs and Cambridge Technicals • 20 August - GCSE results in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and GCSE equivalent technical qualifications How do I get my results ?
Schools have been agonising for weeks over the best way to give students their results .
All pupils have been told what to do on Thursday , but you should check if you are unsure .
You will either go into school from 08:00 BST , receive an email or log into an online portal .
How have the results been decided ?
The methods of deciding the results are broadly similar across all four nations and for qualifications including A-levels @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Highers .
Schools and colleges were asked to predict the grades pupils would have achieved in each subject if they had sat the exams .
These predictions were sent to the exam boards along with the order of who they think will do best .
The exam boards put together the information , taking into account data for previous years , to make adjustments to the predictions .
The aim was to make sure the results were fair and consistent and in line with results from previous years .
England 's regulator Ofqual @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the results , to give them the same value as grades from any other year .
Vocational and technical qualifications come in many shapes and sizes and some of the awarding bodies lack the wealth of data available to major exam boards .
However , the majority of vocational and technical students will receive grades calculated in a similar way to A-levels , with awarding bodies carrying out quality assurance in line with national regulations .
Students are not allowed to know the grade their school or college predicted for them until @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have their final results , students can ask for this information .
• A-level and GCSE results to be higher this summer Usually , if your results are not what you expected , there are clearly set-out appeal systems .
This year , it 's different .
In England , a school can appeal if it can show that this year 's results do not reflect recent improvements it has made .
But your right to challenge your own grades will be limited to the grounds of bias or technical error .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disappointed and angry after their grades failed to meet expectations , particularly among disadvantaged students who appear to have had their teachers ' estimates downgraded .
Students who are unhappy with their grades are advised to speak first to their school or college .
Can I sit the exams if I do n't like my results ?
The rules in England mean you can not appeal against your grade if you think you could have done better by sitting your exams .
However , actually sitting them is an option this autumn or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sit your exams , you must ask to your school or college to enter you .
You will need to take all the exam papers in your chosen subjects .
If you achieve a different grade in the exams , you will be able to use whichever is higher when applying for university or jobs .
These results will be based on exam performance alone - there will be no non-exam assessment , and results from previous non-exam assessments will not count .
In subjects like art and design , grades will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and marked by the exam board , under the normal supervised conditions .
Only students whose summer 2020 A-level exams were cancelled can sit exams this autumn .
But for many technical and vocational exams there are several assessment dates throughout the year , so resits are likely to be less of a problem .
How will Ucas schemes work this year ?
The good news for this year 's university applicants is that there fewer 18-year-olds than in some years .
This means it could be easier to secure a university place @ @ @ @ @ @ @ students got places through the university admission service Ucas 's clearing system .
The advice is not to rush into anything .
Discuss what you 're being offered with your school or college and do n't be afraid to question university admissions teams .
If you have better grades than you expected , look at Ucas 's adjustment scheme to see if you can trade up to courses or universities that suit your career plans best .
In some cases , your question will be published , displaying your name , age and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you state otherwise .
Your contact details will never be published .
Please ensure you have read our terms & conditions and privacy policy .
Use this form to ask your question :

GCSE results 2023, BTec Level 2 and National 5s – the full guide Published 1 day ago
Image source, PA Media
Students in England, Northern Ireland and Wales are waiting to find out what grades they will get in their GCSEs and other Level 2 qualifications, as results' day approaches.
It is the second year of formal exams since the hiatus during the pandemic, and some changes to how things worked continued to be implemented, depending on where pupils were based.
When is GCSE results day 2023? When are other exam results published?
In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, GCSE results will come out on 24 August.
Vocational technical qualification (VTQ) students, which includes Level 2 BTec and Cambridge Technicals, will receive results on, or before, 24 August.
In Scotland, SQA results (based on National 5s and National 4s) were published on 8 August, with pass rates down from last year but higher than they were before Covid.
How can I appeal against GCSE results? How about other exam results?
If you are unhappy with your grade, you should first talk to your school or college.
In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, your school will contact the exam board on your behalf and ask for your marks to be reviewed.
If you still think you have been unfairly graded after a review, you can ask your school or college to appeal.
If you are still not satisfied, you can request a review from Ofqual.
In Scotland, the process is slightly different.
If you have concerns about your final grade, you can appeal directly to the SQA for free. Speak to your school or college first.
If your appeal is accepted, the exam board will look at the marks you received.
The charity YoungMinds points out results are not the only measure of success - and if things do not turn out how you had hoped, there are lots of other ways to help you achieve your goals.
Can I resit an exam?
Yes, you can resit any GCSE or National 5 exam the following year. GCSE maths and English exams take place in November.
If you want to explore this option, you should speak to your school about the best course of action.
Image source, Getty Images Image caption, Students received less additional help this year compared with other years immediately after the pandemic
Will GCSE grade boundaries be lower than usual?
England
As usual, senior examiners will decide the minimum marks needed for each grade.
However, because of the disruption caused by Covid, exam boards in England will be "slightly" more lenient than before the pandemic when deciding grade boundaries.
This will protect students who performed slightly less well than expected in these exams.
Results are predicted to fall back in line with pre-pandemic levels this year, after three years of higher grades.
Ofqual, England's exam regulator, said the following support was available for GCSE exams this year:
Students in maths, physics, and combined-science exams were allowed to use formulae and equation sheets
Exams in the same subject were more spaced out than usual, to give students more time to revise between papers
Modern-foreign-language papers were no longer testing students on unfamiliar vocabulary
Wales
In Wales, grades will continue to be awarded more generously than before the pandemic, midway between the 2019 and 2022 results.
The Welsh Joint Education Committee (WJEC) exam board provided advance information for its papers across a range of subjects, revealing the focus of some of the questions, to help pupils revise.
There was no advance information for any other papers taken in Wales.
And unlike last year, Qualification Wales, which oversees Welsh exams, said there had been no changes to the content of courses.
Northern Ireland
The Council for the Curriculum, Examinations & Assessment (CCEA) exam board, which covers most pupils in Northern Ireland, provided advance information for most subjects and says examiners will take Covid disruption into account.
Scotland
The Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) said its grading would be "sensitive" because of the continuing impact of the pandemic.
It took similar steps to last year to help students, such as removing or reducing exams or elements of coursework, but plans for exams to go fully back to normal next year.
What happens next?
Many pupils go on to study A-levels in England, Wales and Northern Ireland or Advanced Highers in Scotland.
International Baccalaureate (IB) is also an option, as are vocational courses such as National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs), BTec Level 3s, TechBacs, Cambridge Technicals and (in England only) T-levels.
You could also consider an apprenticeship. Apprentices get paid a salary as they spend 80% of their time in the workplace, while being trained.
Other options include going straight into full-time work or an internship.
The National Careers Service has more information.
What questions do you have about results day? Whether you have queries about A-levels, GCSEs, Highers or vocational courses, you can get in touch by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also get in touch in the following ways:


bbcuk--2020-08-10--The Papers: Tracers to knock on doors and McDonald's lawsuit

The Times ' splash reports that secondary school pupils can transmit coronavirus as easily as adults , according to a @ @ @ @ @ ( PHE ) .
The scientists , who studied thousands of pupils , believe that @ @ @ @ @ for older children - who according to one of the paper 's sources - are @ @ @ @ @ most likely to get infected , have silent infection , transmit infection and get sicker @ @ @ @ @ features the news that McDonald 's is suing its British former boss , Steve Easterbrook @ @ @ @ @ `` one of the few Britons to have made it to the highest echelons of @ @ @ @

The Daily Telegraph and The Daily Mail lead on the overhaul of the government's test and trace scheme which is variously described as "failing" and "beleaguered". Both highlight that thousands of call centre staff will be sacked, and that local contact tracers will knock on people's doors if they haven't responded to phone calls. The Telegraph editorial says the new track and trace system must inspire confidence, and the consequences of failure would be "calamitous".


bbcuk--2020-08-10--Lord Nelson's HMS Victory: Visitors able to walk beneath ship

Lord Nelson 's flagship HMS Victory will be viewable by the public from below for the first time in 100 years thanks to a £35m conservation project .
The ship , which featured in the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805 and is now at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard , is undergoing a 13-year revamp .
A new support structure for the 3,600-tonne ship will also replicate the ship being afloat , the National Museum of the Royal Navy and BAE Systems said .
It is due to be unveiled on 24 August .
This is the same date that the dockyard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ following coronavirus lockdown measures .
The National Museum of the Royal Navy and BAE Systems have described the news as a `` major milestone '' in the ship 's renovation , which began in 2016 after it started to collapse under its own weight .
They said the structure would recreate an environment of being in water .
It will monitor the ship 's weight distribution using 134 `` smart props '' that will `` mimic the variable pressures of the sea '' and provide `` early warning of faults or weaknesses '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 22 steel cradles which were installed when HMS Victory came to the dry dock in 1922 .
Andrew Baines , project director at the museum , said : `` Each prop has a load cell so we can know , on a minute-by-minute basis , how much of HMS Victory 's weight is being carried , providing the museum with invaluable insight into her stability and helping us to prevent damage to her structure . ''
Built between 1759 and 1765 , HMS Victory is the oldest commissioned warship in the world - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the First Sea Lord .

Andrew Baines, project director at the museum, said: "Each prop has a load cell so we can know, on a minute-by-minute basis, how much of HMS Victory's weight is being carried, providing the museum with invaluable insight into her stability and helping us to prevent damage to her structure."


bbcuk--2020-08-10--Coronavirus: Pupils begin return to the classroom

Scotland 's pupils will begin returning to their classrooms later for the first time since the start of the lockdown nearly five months ago .
Schools in the Borders and Shetland will be first to reopen with most local authorities following on Wednesday .
Physical distancing among students will not generally be required but hygiene and safety measures such as one-way systems have been put in place .
Most of the country 's 700,000 pupils have not been at school since 20 March .
• Is it safe for Scotland 's schools to reopen ?
• What 's your council @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
While councils have been given some flexibility over the back to school timetable , the Scottish government wants all schools fully open by 18 August .
All age groups will return in the Scottish Borders on Tuesday - a week earlier than the normal start of term - but most councils have opted for a phased approach , for instance by having youngest pupils return first .
While there is no requirement for physical distancing between pupils , teachers should remain 2m apart from students or other adults .
Older secondary pupils @ @ @ @ @ @ @ possible if this does not hinder the return to full-time learning .
There is no general requirement to wear face coverings although staff and pupils can do so voluntarily .
School buses are treated as part of the school building , so normal distancing or face covering rules do not apply to pupils , but they will have to sanitise their hands prior to boarding .
At her coronavirus briefing on Monday , First Minister Nicola Sturgeon acknowledged that some teachers , parents and pupils would feel anxious , but said the guidance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scientific advice .
`` The importance of getting young people back into education ca n't be overstated , '' she said '' Schools have worked really hard to support pupils through lockdown but we know the impact on education , on wellbeing , on happiness has been negative for young people so to get them back into full-time education has to be a priority . ''
How have schools prepared for pupils ' return ?
Kelso High School in the Scottish Borders will be one of the first in the country to welcome @ @ @ @ @ @ @ teacher Jill Lothian says for young people , it 's the procedures rather than the building itself that have changed most .
`` How they enter the building - we 're using different entry and exit points for them , '' she explained .
`` I 'm also mindful of our new first years coming in .
That 's going to be a whole different ball game for them .
`` Then they 're going to go for their registration classes , their home rooms and they 'll stay there for two periods @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know all the plans and procedures in place . ''
Every classroom is equipped with sanitiser and a cleaning station for pupils to use as they enter , and they begin by wiping down their desks and chairs .
One way systems are in place and they will be encouraged to spend break times outdoors , with controls to ensure they do n't all leave the building at the same time .
Shona Haslam , leader of Scottish Borders Council , believes they have done everything they can to make the return to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cleaning , additional ventilation , children not walking around the school quite so much , one way systems in place , school transport being an extension of the school estate - we 've done all of those measures that are in the Scottish government guidance and we are as confident as we can be , '' she said .
At Inverclyde Academy in Greenock , the school 's fresh cohort of S1 pupils will be the first to encounter the new normal of schooling when they arrive on Wednesday , with other year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There will be no sharing of equipment such as stationary or headphones .
They can bring equipment from home but there is no need as individual stationary packs and calculators will be issued .
Desks and seating have been arranged so that pupils are facing the front of the classroom and not each other .
They can sit in pairs with a `` shoulder partner '' but there is a strict seating plan to keep students in `` bubbles '' , limiting the number of close contacts .
Head teacher Denise Crawford explained @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time there will be designated areas outside for outside play , there will be designated areas in the cafeteria so the year group will remain with its own year group and the class will remain with its own class throughout the school day . ''
The teacher 's workstation is a measured 2m distance from the desks .
A teacher is allowed to approach a child to give them individual help , but such contact must be kept to a minimum and for a maximum of 15 minutes .
New Inverclyde Academy first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wait to see her friends again when she starts back at on Wednesday .
`` We 've not seen each other for so long , we 'll be so happy to see each other and we 'll just talk for hours on end - and it will just be great . ''
Layla , 11 , is also excited but thinks there will be some catching up to do .
`` I 'm quite good at English and things and I do n't think I 've missed too much on that because I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I 'll need to revise some things . ''
S5 pupil Eddy has found it difficult to motivate himself during lockdown but has some concerns about the return to school .
`` Going back is definitely a step in the right direction but I do n't know about all these spikes happening everywhere .
There 's just going to be another case in Inverclyde , one kid 's going have it and give it to the rest of the school , '' he said .
`` That 's what I 'm quite worried @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who is in shielding .
I need to keep her safe .
That 's what I 'm worried about . ''
Rachel , 15 , has concerns she wo n't be fully prepared for her higher exams next year .
`` I think because we have n't sat the exams in fourth year , that going into fifth year and then sitting highers will be a bit of a shock .
I do n't know how I 'm going to cope with it because it 's obviously a lot harder than doing your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his secondary school years is a chance for some much missed social interaction .
`` There has n't been much to talk about - during lockdown we were communicating but eventually there was just nothing to talk about because nothing was happening , '' he said .
`` I hope we 'll be able to talk about something other than Covid once we get back into school '' • SCHOOLS : Which are re-opening , when ?
• RULES : Which lockdown rules will change next - and when ?
• FACE MASKS @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • TESTING : Who can get a test and how ?
• LOOK-UP TOOL : How many cases in your area ?

"Additional cleaning, additional ventilation, children not walking around the school quite so much, one-way systems in place, school transport being an extension of the school estate - we've done all of those measures that are in the Scottish government guidance and we are as confident as we can be," she said.


bbcuk--2020-08-10--Coronavirus: About 80 jobs at risk at Welsh National Trust sites

About 80 jobs at the National Trust in Wales could be lost due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic .
Houses , gardens and shops managed by the conservation charity were closed in March as lockdown began .
Now despite being able to reopen some sites to visitors , the trust has warned many historic properties may have to remain closed for years .
Assistant director Rebecca Williams said the lack of income meant the trust had to make `` very difficult decisions '' .
The UK 's largest conservation charity , the National Trust looks after historic houses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coastline in Wales .
It had previously announced about 1,200 jobs would be cut across the charity as a result of anticipated losses of £200m .
In 2019 , membership in Wales grew to more than 200,000 , but Ms Williams said while members had been loyal , with cafes and properties closed for months the impact had been `` big '' .
`` We have to make very difficult decisions , to ensure the long-term security of the organisation , '' she said .
`` We , like many organisations , have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anticipated . ''
Ms Williams said the trust had taken out loans , stopped recruitment and cut expenditure to minimise loss , but it had come to the point where job cuts were needed .
The Trust manages properties and gardens , including Penrhyn Castle , in Bangor , Erddig , in Wrexham , Dyffryn Gardens , near Cardiff , Powis Castle , in Welshpool , and Bodnant Garden , in Conwy .
It is also responsible for popular beauty spots including Pen-y-Fan and Sugar Loaf , in the Brecon Beacons , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trust closed all its properties when lockdown was announced , and was forced to close all its car parks in line with rules at the end of March after people flocked to beauty spots despite travel restrictions .
While some properties have reopened inside in England and Northern Ireland , as part of a phased reopening , only gardens and parks have opened so far in Wales .
Ms Williams said some of the historic buildings would not be reopened for months if not years because of the impact , but it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be affected by the cuts .
`` We 're only a week into the consultation '' she said .
`` The implications for staff and properties and sites go hand in hand so it 's really difficult to give definitive answers . ''
She added : `` We hope members understand that we must make savings in the short term to ensure our long term sustainability . ''
With the threat of a potential second wave of coronavirus in the winter months , and concern over local lockdowns , the trust said the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said it was hoped the cuts would ensure the trust was `` able to grow back '' , and make sure members could have access to nature if there was a second spike .
The Welsh Government had announced heritage sites would be given funding to deal with the impact of the pandemic , via a £53m fund for arts and culture .
But union Prospect said it `` may be too little too late for hundreds of workers '' at the National Trust .
General secretary Mike Clancy said : `` At @ @ @ @ @ @ @ National Trust to close whole properties but they are shutting 'unprofitable ' shops and cafes and the worry is that it 's only a matter of time .
`` Once jobs are lost and assets are closed it is very hard to recover them .
`` Access to our cultural heritage should be an essential part of society 's recovery from the pandemic , and the government should be doing everything it can to protect it . ''

Ms Williams said some of the historic buildings would not be reopened for months if not years because of the impact, but it was too early to say which properties would be affected by the cuts.


bbcuk--2020-08-10--Volunteers in Bristol sought to host asylum seekers in homes

People in Bristol have been urged to host asylum seekers in their homes to prevent them living on the streets .
During the Coronavirus pandemic , the city council has housed a number of them in hotels across Bristol but the arrangement was due to end shortly .
Bristol Hospitality Network ( BHN ) has asked for 20 volunteers who could offer a spare room for three months or more .
Mayor Marvin Rees backed the scheme and said Bristol should be a place `` where everyone feels welcome and safe '' .
BHN said usually asylum seekers would be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hostel or one of a network of hosts but the hostel was full and hosts were `` at capacity '' , The charity said many asylum seekers had come from as far as Iraq , Syria , Sudan and Afghanistan , and would have `` lost a lot on their journey to safety '' .
Director Lizzie Briggs said the charity estimated about 100 refused asylum seekers were in Bristol at any one time .
She said : `` This is n't just a Bristol problem and every city will be taking its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Asylum seekers are evicted from Home Office accommodation 21 days after being refused , becoming homeless in that same city .
So wherever there is Home Office accommodation for asylum seekers , there are refused asylum seekers made destitute , sofa-surfing or street homeless .
`` Bristol is a city of sanctuary , with a strong refugee and asylum seeker sector working closely with both Bristol City Council and the local community to find short , medium and long-term solutions for this hidden and destitute population .
`` By hosting an asylum @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at a crucial turning point in someone 's life ; someone who has already been through immense trauma to get here . ''
• ' I thought I would die under that lorry' The charity , which has provided asylum seekers with food and money , said those in need would have no recourse to public funds , social housing , no right to rent privately and no permission to work .
Ms Briggs said : `` This is our chance to show our solidarity as a city and prevent people from returning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sarah and Peter hosted a male asylum seeker in his twenties from Iraq for two years .
Peter said : `` I felt really proud that were able to offer him something that made an immense difference to his life .
`` And I hope that if I was in that amount of need , someone would reach a hand out to me . ''
Sarah added : `` That 's all he wanted - a spare room and security .
He did n't want anything else from us .
`` I recommend @ @ @ @ @ @ @ room to show a bit of compassion and humanity . ''
Mr Rees said : `` We have a great opportunity to make sure that no-one has to return to the streets following the Covid-19 crisis , and that includes people seeking asylum in our city . ''
The UK has a legal responsibility to settle anyone claiming political asylum while their cases are assessed.

The charity, which has provided asylum seekers with food and money, said those in need would have no recourse to public funds, social housing, no right to rent privately and no permission to work.


bbcuk--2020-08-11--UK employment falls by biggest amount in over a decade

Employment in the UK fell by the largest amount in over a decade between April and June , official figures show .
The number of people in work decreased by 220,000 on the quarter , said the Office for National Statistics .
This was the largest quarterly decrease since May to July 2009 , the depths of the financial crisis .
The youngest workers , oldest workers and those in manual occupations were the worst hit during the pandemic , the ONS added .
The figures do not include the millions of people who are furloughed , those on zero-hours @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people on temporary unpaid leave from a job , as they still count as employed .
As such , they do not capture the full impact of the pandemic .
Similarly , the UK unemployment rate was estimated at 3.9 % , largely unchanged on the year and the previous quarter .
Jonathan Athow , deputy national statistician at the ONS , said : `` The groups of people most affected are younger workers , 24 and under , or older workers and those in more routine or less skilled jobs .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ harder for these groups to find a new job or get into a job as easily as other workers . ''
How bad is this likely to get ?
The UK economy has been battered by the coronavirus pandemic , but unemployment has not surged as much as feared because large numbers of firms have furloughed staff .
However , analysts said unemployment was set to worsen in coming months as the scheme wound down , warning of a looming `` cliff-edge '' and a `` lull before the storm '' .
From @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are already planning job cuts with 140,000 redundancies announced in June alone .
According to the ONS , the number of average hours worked continued to fall in April-June , reaching record lows both on the year and on the quarter .
The number of people claiming universal credit - a benefit for those on low pay as well as unemployed people - rose to 2.7 million in July , up by 117 % since March .
Theatre technician Charlotte Baker , 29 , is out of work as a result of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ job at the Fairfield Halls in Croydon in September last year and was furloughed in March .
In June , she was made redundant , even though she could have been kept on furlough .
Now management at the Fairfield Halls has said the venue will not reopen until April next year , forcing her to contemplate a possible career change .
`` It 's definitely an uphill struggle and it 's proving harder than previous ones , '' she told the BBC .
`` It 's hard to have a positive outlook @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doing a carpentry course , but to obtain the necessary City and Guilds qualification would require her to spend £5,000 on training .
`` It 's a mountain to climb .
I would n't mind climbing that mountain if it 's something that I 'm passionate about , but I 'm not sure , '' she says .
`` I 'm hoping to make a decision by the end of August . ''
• Jobless in the pandemic : 'It 's hard to stay positive' How is this affecting people who still have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were falls in pay for those still working , with regular pay levels down 0.2 % compared with a year earlier - the first negative pay growth since records began in 2001 .
The number of people on zero-hours contracts also increased to more than one million .
`` Early indicators for July 2020 suggest that the number of employees in the UK on payrolls is down around 730,000 compared with March 2020 , '' said the ONS .
It believes the main reason this is more extreme than the fall in employment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ job but are not doing any paid work at the moment .
• What is redundancy and what are my rights ?
• Which sectors are hiring and which are cutting back ?
It added that a large number of people were estimated to be temporarily away from work , including furloughed workers - approximately 7.5 million in June 2020 , with more than three million of these being away for three months or more .
The number of workers covered by the furlough scheme has since risen to almost 10 million .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a sharp fall in the number of self-employed people between April and June .
It said there were 4.76 million self-employed people , 14.5 % of all people in employment , a record 238,000 fewer than the previous quarter .
Is it all bad news ?
If you 're a glass-half-full sort of person , there is some less than awful news in the latest labour market figures .
The number of vacancies , for example , rose from its record low by 10 % in May to July as lockdown restrictions were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saw a record drop in the second quarter from April to June , but in July it was down by only 3 % , less than half the fall in May and June .
However , there are some less jolly signs .
The number on employer payrolls had only dropped marginally in the previous two months , but saw a much bigger drop in July , down 114,000 , in spite of the reopening of many shops , restaurants and pubs .
And employers are increasingly making employees bear the risk that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to do , with the number of zero-hours contracts rising above one million for the first time .
And then there 's the record drop in self-employment .
And all this in spite of the government spending more than £40bn trying to protect employment through furlough and self-employed income support .
Unemployment tends to peak well after economic shocks have been and gone : this time will be no different .
What are economists saying ?
Ruth Gregory , senior UK economist at Capital Economics , said the latest employment figures were `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ She added : `` The cracks evident in the latest batch of labour market data are likely to soon turn into a chasm , with the unemployment rate rising from 3.9 % to around 7 % by mid-2021 . ''
She said further rises in unemployment in the coming months were `` all but inevitable as the furlough scheme unwinds '' .
Capital Economics forecasts that the unemployment rate will peak at 7 % in mid-2021 and remain above its pre-pandemic level of 4 % until the end of 2022 .
Ms Gregory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would be `` slow going '' .
Jeremy Thomson-Cook , chief economist at Equals Money , said the figures showed the true level of those out of work had been `` very effectively lowered by the government 's furlough scheme '' and that the worst lay ahead .
`` Unfortunately , the end of the furlough scheme will present a cliff-edge , statistically and economically , for those currently relying on government support to make up their wages . ''
Chancellor Rishi Sunak said : `` Today 's labour market stats make it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including the furlough and self-employed support schemes , are working to safeguard millions of jobs and livelihoods that could otherwise have been lost . ''
He said the government could not protect every job , but it did have `` a clear plan to protect , support and create jobs to ensure that nobody is left without hope '' .
Shadow work and pensions secretary Jonathan Reynolds said it was `` extremely worrying '' that older workers , the self-employed and part-time workers had been hit hardest .
`` Labour has repeatedly warned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to job losses .
These figures confirm what we feared - Britain is in the midst of a jobs crisis . ''
Have you lost your job because of the pandemic ?
Please share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay @ bbc.co.uk .
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist .
• Please read our terms & conditions and privacy policy

Boris Johnson warns 'long, long way to go' for UK economy Published 11 August 2020
Image source, Getty Images
Boris Johnson has warned the UK has a "long, long way to go" before the economy improves, after official figures showed the largest drop in employment in over a decade.
"Clearly there are going to be bumpy months ahead and a long, long way to go," the Prime Minister said.
However, he said parts of the economy were "showing great resilience".
Between April and June, the number of people in work fell by 220,000, the Office for National Statistics said.
The drop in the number of people employed was the largest quarterly decrease since May to July 2009, the depths of the financial crisis.
Mr Johnson said he had "absolutely no doubt" that government schemes would "help this country get through it", adding: "it will get through it stronger than ever before".
The youngest workers, oldest workers and those in manual occupations were the worst hit during the pandemic, the ONS added.
The figures do not include the millions of people who are furloughed, those on zero-hours contracts but not getting shifts, or people on temporary unpaid leave from a job, as they still count as employed.
As such, they do not capture the full impact of the pandemic. Similarly, the UK unemployment rate was estimated at 3.9%, largely unchanged on the year and the previous quarter.
Jonathan Athow, deputy national statistician at the ONS, said: "The groups of people most affected are younger workers, 24 and under, or older workers and those in more routine or less skilled jobs.
"This is concerning, as it's harder for these groups to find a new job or get into a job as easily as other workers."
How bad is this likely to get?
The UK economy has been battered by the coronavirus pandemic, but unemployment has not surged as much as feared because large numbers of firms have furloughed staff.
However, analysts said unemployment was set to worsen in coming months as the scheme wound down, warning of a looming "cliff-edge" and a "lull before the storm".
From restaurants to retailers, many UK businesses are already planning job cuts with 140,000 redundancies announced in June alone.
According to the ONS, the number of average hours worked continued to fall in April-June, reaching record lows both on the year and on the quarter.
The number of people claiming universal credit - a benefit for those on low pay as well as unemployed people - rose to 2.7 million in July, up by 117% since March.
Ask me
How are ordinary people coping?
Theatre technician Charlotte Baker, 29, is out of work as a result of the coronavirus crisis.
She started a new job at the Fairfield Halls in Croydon in September last year and was furloughed in March.
In June, she was made redundant, even though she could have been kept on furlough.
Now management at the Fairfield Halls has said the venue will not reopen until April next year, forcing her to contemplate a possible career change.
"It's definitely an uphill struggle and it's proving harder than previous ones," she told the BBC. "It's hard to have a positive outlook."
Charlotte has been looking into doing a carpentry course, but to obtain the necessary City and Guilds qualification would require her to spend £5,000 on training.
"It's a mountain to climb. I wouldn't mind climbing that mountain if it's something that I'm passionate about, but I'm not sure," she says.
"I'm hoping to make a decision by the end of August."
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Media caption, Julie Morris explains what it is like to be job hunting in your late 50s during coronavirus
How is this affecting people who still have jobs?
Between April and June there were falls in pay for those still working, with regular pay levels down 0.2% compared with a year earlier - the first negative pay growth since records began in 2001.
The number of people on zero-hours contracts also increased to more than one million.
"Early indicators for July 2020 suggest that the number of employees in the UK on payrolls is down around 730,000 compared with March 2020," said the ONS.
It believes the main reason this is more extreme than the fall in employment is because of workers who have a job but are not doing any paid work at the moment.
It added that a large number of people were estimated to be temporarily away from work, including furloughed workers - approximately 7.5 million in June 2020, with more than three million of these being away for three months or more.
The number of workers covered by the furlough scheme has since risen to 9.6 million by 9 August, and has yet to record a fall in any week since it began, separate statistics published on Tuesday by HM Revenue and Customs show.
The ONS said there had also been a sharp fall in the number of self-employed people between April and June.
It said there were 4.76 million self-employed people, 14.5% of all people in employment, a record 238,000 fewer than the previous quarter.
Is it all bad news?
If you're a glass-half-full sort of person, there is some less than awful news in the latest labour market figures.
The number of vacancies, for example, rose from its record low by 10% in May to July as lockdown restrictions were eased. The number of hours worked saw a record drop in the second quarter from April to June, but in July it was down by only 3%, less than half the fall in May and June.
However, there are some less jolly signs. The number on employer payrolls had only dropped marginally in the previous two months, but saw a much bigger drop in July, down 114,000, in spite of the reopening of many shops, restaurants and pubs.
And employers are increasingly making employees bear the risk that there isn't enough work for them to do, with the number of zero-hours contracts rising above one million for the first time.
And then there's the record drop in self-employment. And all this in spite of the government spending more than £40bn trying to protect employment through furlough and self-employed income support.
Unemployment tends to peak well after economic shocks have been and gone: this time will be no different.
What are economists saying?
Ruth Gregory, senior UK economist at Capital Economics, said the latest employment figures were "the lull before the storm".
She added: "The cracks evident in the latest batch of labour market data are likely to soon turn into a chasm, with the unemployment rate rising from 3.9% to around 7% by mid-2021."
She said further rises in unemployment in the coming months were "all but inevitable as the furlough scheme unwinds".
Capital Economics forecasts that the unemployment rate will peak at 7% in mid-2021 and remain above its pre-pandemic level of 4% until the end of 2022.
Ms Gregory said this suggested that the economic recovery would be "slow going".
Jeremy Thomson-Cook, chief economist at Equals Money, said the figures showed the true level of those out of work had been "very effectively lowered by the government's furlough scheme" and that the worst lay ahead.
"Unfortunately, the end of the furlough scheme will present a cliff-edge, statistically and economically, for those currently relying on government support to make up their wages."
What's the political reaction?
Chancellor Rishi Sunak said the figures showed that the government's "unprecedented support measures" were working to "safeguard millions of jobs and livelihoods that could otherwise have been lost".
Shadow work and pensions secretary Jonathan Reynolds said it was "extremely worrying" that older workers, the self-employed and part-time workers had been hit hardest.
"Labour has repeatedly warned the government their one-size-fits-all approach will lead to job losses. These figures confirm what we feared - Britain is in the midst of a jobs crisis."
Have you lost your job because of the pandemic? Please share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.


bbcuk--2020-08-11--Scottish pupils back in classrooms after lockdown

Scotland 's pupils have returned to classes for the first time since lockdown began nearly five months ago .
Borders and Shetland schools are the first to reopen with most others following on Wednesday .
Physical distancing among students will not generally be required but hygiene and safety measures such as one-way systems have been put in place .
Except for children of key workers , most of the country 's 700,000 pupils have not been in class since 20 March .
• Is it safe for Scotland 's schools to reopen ?
• What 's your council 's plan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Has your child returned to school ?
Email While councils have been given some flexibility over the back to school timetable , the Scottish government wants all schools fully open by 18 August .
All age groups returned in the Scottish Borders on Tuesday - a week earlier than the normal start of term - but most councils have opted for a phased approach , for instance by having youngest pupils return first .
While there is no requirement for physical distancing between pupils , teachers should remain 2m apart from students or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also being encouraged to maintain distancing where possible if this does not hinder the return to full-time learning .
There is no general requirement to wear face coverings although staff and pupils can do so voluntarily .
School buses are treated as part of the school building , so normal distancing or face covering rules do not apply to pupils , but they will have to sanitise their hands prior to boarding .
At her coronavirus briefing on Monday , First Minister Nicola Sturgeon acknowledged that some teachers , parents and pupils would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was carefully worked through and informed by scientific advice .
`` Schools have worked really hard to support pupils through lockdown but we know the impact on education , on wellbeing , on happiness has been negative for young people so to get them back into full-time education has to be a priority , '' she said .
How have schools prepared for pupils ' return ?
Kelso High School in the Scottish Borders is one of the first in the country to welcome pupils back to full-time learning .
Head teacher Jill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's the procedures rather than the building itself that have changed most .
She said there were different entry and exit points and the school is trying to limit the amount of time pupils are moving around the building .
It is also attempting to keep them apart as much as possible .
`` There 's a bit of anxiety but that 's what we 're here for , to ensure that they get into the routines that are expected as we get them round the school , '' she said .
Every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cleaning station for pupils to wipe down their desks and chairs .
One-way systems are in place and pupils will be encouraged to spend break times outdoors , with controls to ensure they do not all leave the building at the same time .
Shona Haslam , leader of Scottish Borders Council , believes the council has done everything it can to make the return to school as safe as possible '' Additional cleaning , additional ventilation , children not walking around the school quite so much , one-way systems in place , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ school estate - we 've done all of those measures that are in the Scottish government guidance and we are as confident as we can be , '' she said .
At Inverclyde Academy in Greenock , the school 's fresh cohort of S1 pupils will be the first to encounter the new normal of schooling when they arrive on Wednesday , with other year groups returning in the following days .
There will be no sharing of equipment such as stationery or headphones .
They can bring equipment from home but there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and calculators will be issued .
Desks and seating have been arranged so that pupils are facing the front of the classroom and not each other .
They can sit in pairs with a `` shoulder partner '' but there is a strict seating plan to keep students in `` bubbles '' , limiting the number of close contacts .
Head teacher Denise Crawford said there would be designated areas outside and in the cafeteria so year groups stay within their groups .
The teacher 's workstation is a measured 2m distance from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to approach a child to give them individual help , but such contact must be kept to a minimum and for a maximum of 15 minutes .
New Inverclyde Academy first year Emily,12 , said she ca n't wait to see her friends again when she starts back at on Wednesday .
`` We 've not seen each other for so long , we 'll be so happy to see each other , '' she said .
`` It will just be great . ''
Layla , 11 , thinks there will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said : `` I 'm quite good at English and things and I do n't think I 've missed too much on that because I 'm quite confident but definitely maths , I 'll need to revise some things . ''
S5 pupil Eddy has found it difficult to motivate himself during lockdown but has some concerns about the return to school and the possible spread of Covid-19 .
`` I 've got my gran who is in shielding .
I need to keep her safe , '' he said `` That 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rachel , 15 , is concerned she will not be fully prepared for her higher exams next year .
`` I think because we have n't sat the exams in fourth year , that going into fifth year and then sitting highers will be a bit of a shock , '' she said .
`` I do n't know how I 'm going to cope with it . ''
Andrew , 12 , is looking forward to some much-missed social interaction .
`` During lockdown we were communicating but eventually there was just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ happening , '' he said .
`` I hope we 'll be able to talk about something other than Covid once we get back into school . ''
• SCHOOLS : Which are re-opening , when ?
• RULES : Which lockdown rules will change next - and when ?
• FACE MASKS : When should you wear one ?
• TESTING : Who can get a test and how ?
• LOOK-UP TOOL : How many cases in your area ?
How do you feel about your child returning to school today @ @ @ @ @ @ @ haveyoursay @ bbc.co.uk .
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bbcuk--2020-08-11--Coronavirus: Test and trace system 'successful', says health minister

The government has defended its test and trace programme in England amid plans to cut 6,000 contact tracers .
Health minister Edward Argar insisted it was a `` successful system '' and would be strengthened by giving more powers to local public health teams .
The plans mean people who have been in contact with confirmed coronavirus cases may get a knock on their door if tracers can not reach them on the phone .
Labour said it came nowhere near the PM 's pledge to be `` world-beating '' .
But Mr Agar dismissed that suggestion , saying : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ system would evolve , and what it 's doing here is exactly that : evolving and flexing . ''
`` We have reached in the past 10 weeks , since this was set up pretty much from scratch , around a quarter of a million people - that 's a quarter of a million chains of transmission that have been broken by this . ''
He said the new plan would use the `` scalability '' of a national system as well as the expertise and local knowledge of local public health officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ teams follows criticism that the national system is not tapping into regional knowledge .
Paul Hunter , professor of medicine at the University of East Anglia , said experts had warned that the system would only work well if it was `` done close to the population '' .
He said the UK had `` many years of very successful , very effective infectious disease surveillance '' for diseases like tuberculosis and meningitis - but this skill and experience had not been used .
`` I think it was very clear this was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it could have been , '' he told Radio 4 's Today programme . '
I 've been literally doing nothing' One contact tracer , who wanted to remain anonymous , tells the BBC about their experience of the job .
I began contact tracing at the end of May .
I 've had a grand total of four calls - only one of which was successful .
The others went through to voicemail or they did n't pick up .
So the rest of the time I 've been literally doing nothing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , refreshing [ my screen ] every ten minutes , waiting for the calls to come in and twiddling my thumbs .
It 's an eight hour day .
We have to log on and log off at exactly the right times .
We get told off if we 're even two minutes late logging in for a shift .
When we 're actually on shift all we 're told to do is just keep refreshing the screen every 10 minutes and wait for the calls to come in .
Many of us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ long careers .
We know how to work .
We 're not being told anything .
All we 're being told is how successful this is , how world-beating this system is , when it 's clearly not a world-beating system .
Asked if money being given to private companies to run NHS Test and Trace needed to be diverted to local councils , Prof Hunter said : `` Absolutely .
The local councils are already - in terms of the investigation of local outbreaks - showing a very effective system .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ When this same suggestion was put to the health minister , Mr Argar said : `` We 've made clear that we believe we still need that national resource , so we 're reducing the size of that contract from 18,000 to 12,000 , but we still think that is a vital part of our test and trace system , but we have already given billions of pounds nationally to local councils to support them in their response . ''
Serco , one of the outsourcing firms who have been awarded multi-million pound @ @ @ @ @ @ @ defended its record - despite figures suggesting that only around 50 % of people from the same household as a person infected with Covid-19 were being contacted .
As part of NHS Test and Trace , public health teams dealing with outbreaks in factories or care homes have consistently reached more than 90 % of the contacts on their lists .
Outside of those very localised outbreaks , it is call centres who trace contacts .
But they do not reach as many contacts - their success rate for reaching contacts who do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 70 % in the middle of July , but has fallen since then .

When this same suggestion was put to the health minister, Mr Argar said: "We've made clear that we believe we still need that national resource, so we're reducing the size of that contract from 18,000 to 12,000, but we still think that is a vital part of our test and trace system, but we have already given billions of pounds nationally to local councils to support them in their response."


bbcuk--2020-08-11--Boris Johnson considers law change amid rising migrant crossings

The UK needs to consider changes to asylum laws to deter migrants from crossing the English Channel , Boris Johnson has said .
The prime minister said it was currently `` very , very difficult '' to legally return people who arrive in the UK from France using small boats .
More than 4,000 people have successfully crossed the English Channel this way so far this year .
Immigration Minister Chris Philp is in Paris for talks with French officials .
He has been accompanied by the UK 's newly appointed Clandestine Channel Threat Commander Dan O'Mahoney , to discuss @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crossings .
The UK government has said it wants to work with the French authorities to make the route `` unviable '' .
Speaking ahead of the meeting , the UK 's former national security adviser Lord Ricketts said the UK may need to pay for increased enforcement along the French coast .
• What happens to migrants found in the Channel ?
• Why are migrants crossing the English Channel ?
`` The French do have 300km of coastline facing the UK which is quite hard to police and I think a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for is to reinforce mobile patrols up and down those beaches to stop people even getting into these boats , '' he said .
On Monday , Mr Johnson pledged to work with the French authorities to discourage people from making the `` dangerous '' journey across the channel .
But he added the UK also needed to look at `` the panoply of laws that an illegal immigrant has at his or her disposal that allow them to stay here '' .
The Ministry of Defence said on Monday it had sent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Border Force spot small boats trying to cross the Channel .
The Home Office had asked defence chiefs for help to deal with migrants making the crossing .
Since Thursday , more than 600 people have been intercepted on the route .
Downing Street said Border Force was looking at a `` range of options , '' including new measures , to stop boats entering British waters .
The UK is currently following EU asylum law during its 11-month post-Brexit transition period following its departure from the bloc in January .
This includes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that a person 's asylum claim can be transferred to the first member state they entered .
The PM 's spokesman said the UK wanted to replace the `` inflexible and rigid '' regulation with a new agreement on returns after December .
He added that the current Dublin rules , which put a time limit on transfers , could be `` abused by both migrants and their lawyers to frustrate the returns of those who have no right to be here '' .
In a letter to Home Secretary Priti Patel on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ peers said the UK should refuse to sign up to a `` similar agreement '' to Dublin after December .
The group said ministers should do `` whatever it takes '' to deal with the problem , saying many of their constituents were angry that migrants had been put up in `` expensive hotels '' and given `` immediate access '' to financial support .
Dover MP Nathalie Elphicke , who was not one of the signatories , said Tuesday 's talks were welcome but engagement at a higher level was needed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and returned to France .
`` There is no reason we ca n't come to an agreement with France on returns , '' she told BBC Radio 4 's Today programme .
`` It 's really important we work with the French on this issue as it 's a joint issue . ''
Ms Patel , who met her opposite number Gérald Darmanin last month , has said the UK is committed to `` shutting down '' the route and dismantling the criminal gangs facilitating the illegal crossings .
Speaking during a visit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the current situation was `` totally unacceptable '' and the UK and France need to work together to address what was a `` shared challenge '' .
The French government says it has deployed extra resources to detect and intercept boats before they set out , leading to a ten-fold increase in the number of crossings being prevented .
Intelligence co-operation with the UK has been stepped up while plans to strengthen control of the main crossing points are being finalised , the country 's interior ministry added .
Since the demolition of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ago , French authorities have been successful in stopping other large-scale camps from forming .
But migrants do still arrive in Calais ; they are just more scattered .
Greater security measures - including a wall built along the motorway with UK funding - have made it more difficult for migrants to stow away on lorries .
But that 's led the people smugglers to increasingly turn to using the equally risky method of small boats .
The UK and France have worked closely on this for close to two decades .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ' the UK border to Calais ( and the French border to Dover ) to allow checks to happen before crossings , was signed in 2003 .
But they ca n't change geography .
Calais remains a magnet because it is only 20 miles from the UK - on a clear day in Dover , you can see the headlights of French traffic on the other side of the sea .
No amount of planes , walls or Navy deployments can alter that .
Quite apart from the humanitarian issue here , there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government .
David Cameron was pretty roundly criticised for suggesting in 2016 that Brexit would mean the French would pull out of bilateral agreements and we 'd see `` Jungles '' popping up on the South coast of England .
There 's certainly no indication of that , but there 's no doubt that the images of dinghies landing on Kent 's beaches will be a difficult one for a government that has set huge store by its promise to 'take back control ' of immigration .

"The French do have 300km of coastline facing the UK which is quite hard to police and I think a lot of the money they are asking for is to reinforce mobile patrols up and down those beaches to stop people even getting into these boats," he said.


bbcuk--2020-08-11--Facial recognition use by South Wales Police ruled unlawful

The use of automatic facial recognition ( AFR ) technology by South Wales Police is unlawful , the Court of Appeal has ruled .
It follows a legal challenge brought by civil rights group Liberty and Ed Bridges , 37 , from Cardiff .
But the court also found its use was proportionate interference with human rights as the benefits outweighed the impact on Mr Bridges .
South Wales Police said it would not be appealing the findings .
Mr Bridges had said being identified by AFR caused him distress .
The court upheld three of the five points raised @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was no clear guidance on where AFR Locate could be used and who could be put on a watchlist , a data protection impact assessment was deficient and the force did not take reasonable steps to find out if the software had a racial or gender bias .
The appeal followed the dismissal of Mr Bridges ' case at London 's High Court in September by two senior judges , who had concluded use of the technology was not unlawful .
Responding to Tuesday 's ruling , South Wales Police Chief Constable Matt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our ground-breaking use of this technology by the courts has been a welcome and important step in its development .
I am confident this is a judgment that we can work with . ''
Mr Bridges said : `` I 'm delighted that the court has agreed that facial recognition clearly threatens our rights .
`` This technology is an intrusive and discriminatory mass surveillance tool .
`` For three years now , South Wales Police has been using it against hundreds of thousands of us , without our consent and often without @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be able to use our public spaces without being subjected to oppressive surveillance . ''
Mr Bridges ' face was scanned while he was Christmas shopping in Cardiff in 2017 and at a peaceful anti-arms protest outside the city 's Motorpoint Arena in 2018 .
He had argued it it breached his human rights when his biometric data was analysed without his knowledge or consent .
Liberty lawyer Megan Goulding described the judgment as a `` major victory in the fight against discriminatory and oppressive facial recognition '' .
She added : `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recognise the serious dangers of this intrusive technology .
Facial recognition is a threat to our freedom - it has no place on our streets . ''
The technology maps faces in a crowd by measuring the distance between features , then compares results with a `` watch list '' of images - which can include suspects , missing people and persons of interest .
South Wales Police has been trialling this form of AFR since 2017 , predominantly at big sporting fixtures , concerts and other large events across the force area @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was not a person of interest and had never been on a watch list .
Responding to the ruling , the force said its use of the technology had resulted in 61 people being arrested for offences including robbery and violence , theft and court warrants .
It said it remained `` completely committed to its careful development and deployment '' and was `` proud of the fact there has never been an unlawful arrest as a result of using the technology in south Wales '' .
During the remote hearing last month @ @ @ @ @ @ @ argued that if everyone was stopped and asked for their personal data on the way into a stadium , people would feel uncomfortable .
`` If they were to do this with fingerprints , it would be unlawful , but by doing this with AFR there are no legal constraints , '' he said , as there are clear laws and guidance on taking fingerprints .
Mr Squires said it was the potential use of the power , not its actual use to date , that was the issue .
`` It 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a proportionate manner so far , '' he said .
He argued there were insufficient safeguards within the current laws to protect people from an arbitrary use of the technology , or to ensure its use is proportional .

It said there was no clear guidance on where AFR Locate could be used and who could be put on a watchlist, a data protection impact assessment was deficient and the force did not take reasonable steps to find out if the software had a racial or gender bias.


bbcuk--2020-08-11--Universities told to keep places open for A-level appeals

Universities in England are being told to keep places open for students if they appeal against A-level results .
Amid uncertainty about replacement exam grades , Universities Minister Michelle Donelan has urged university heads to be as `` flexible as possible '' .
It means if students miss the required grades but successfully appeal , they could still start next term .
`` Nobody should have to put their future on hold because of the virus , '' said Ms Donelan .
With A-levels cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic , students will receive estimated results on Thursday , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But if students get disappointing results that they think are unfair , universities are being told to leave the door open for places until appeals have been considered by exam boards .
• How will exam results day work this year ?
• A-level results to be higher this year , says watchdog Appeals , which have to be submitted through schools , should be completed by 7 September , allowing students who get improved grades to take up places this autumn .
The biggest factors determining the replacement exam grades will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the previous exam results of their school or college .
As the row over Scottish exam results has shown , this can mean that high-achieving youngsters in schools with poor results can be marked down .
Scotland 's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon apologised on Monday after accepting her government `` did not get it right '' over exam results .
Education Secretary John Swinney will set out the Scottish government 's plan to fix the issue later .
Ms Donelan said she recognised the need for universities to be fair towards `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or colleges that have not in the past had strong results '' .
She said the `` vast majority of grades '' were expected to be accurate , but added it was `` essential '' to have the appeals `` safety net '' for `` young people who may otherwise be held back from moving on to their chosen route '' .
Calling on universities to show `` flexibility '' in admissions decisions , she called on them to hold the places of students whose `` grade may change as the result of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concerns - and the change of heart in Scotland - there are no signs of any change in using a similar approach to moderating results in England .
This is still expected to be a good year for applicants , with an expected reduction in overseas students meaning that universities will have more places to fill .
The exam regulator Ofqual has already said there will be a more lenient approach to grades this year , with a two-percentage-points increase expected in top grades at A-level .
But results will not be as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would have pushed up results by 12 percentage points - with these predictions able to be shared with pupils after the results are published .
The results to be issued this week are designed to maintain continuity with previous years , but there have been concerns about whether individual students could be treated unfairly .
A survey of 500 A-level students in England , carried out by the University of Birmingham and the University of Nottingham , suggested almost twice as many students would have preferred to have taken their exams , rather @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Secretary Gavin Williamson defended the system for calculating grades this year as `` fundamentally a fair one '' .
`` We know that , without exams , even the best system is not perfect , '' he said .
`` That is why I welcome the fact that Ofqual has introduced a robust appeal system , so every single student can be treated fairly - and today we are asking universities to do their part to ensure every young person can progress to the destination they deserve . ''
But Larissa Kennedy , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , said there was `` absolutely no merit '' in looking at schools ' prior overall performance to judge students ' results this year , criticising it as `` baking inequality into the system '' .
She told BBC Newsnight : `` They 're just trying to fit students ' attainment against a prior year , which means you 're just assuming and reproducing the fact that students from low socio-economic backgrounds are - as this system would say - due to get lower grades . ''
She described the algorithm being used @ @ @ @ @ @ @ move '' , leading to `` individuals being let down by an unjust system '' , which she said was `` completely wrong '' .

"That is why I welcome the fact that Ofqual has introduced a robust appeal system, so every single student can be treated fairly - and today we are asking universities to do their part to ensure every young person can progress to the destination they deserve."


bbcuk--2020-08-11--Newry boy has part of gut removed after swallowing magnets

The mother of a three-year-old boy who had part of his intestine removed after swallowing magnets has said he is lucky not to have permanent damage .
Tomás Quinn , from Newry , had to have emergency surgery in April to remove 29 of the tiny magnetic balls he ingested .
Magdalena Quinn said : `` He is a really lucky boy .
But the damage that they did is absolutely unreal . ''
A Belfast hospital said 19 children between two and 14-years-old needed treatment for magnet ingestion in 2019 .
Three of them had to have major surgery @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( RBHSC ) : • A three-year-old who had 49 magnets removed from his stomach • A 13-year-old girl who had a section of her gut cut away and will have a risk of adhesions for life • A five-year-old who required a laparotomy to remove three magnets Ms Suzanne Lawther , a consultant in paediatric surgery at RBHSC , said : `` They ( the magnetic ball toys ) are about 10 times stronger than traditional magnets and if the magnets end up on either side of a piece of the digestive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strong that it actually interferes with the blood supply .
`` They can cause that bit of bowel to die and ultimately to develop a hole or sometimes abnormal connections between different parts of the bowel which left untreated can make children and adults very unwell and be potentially life-threatening . ''
Of those 19 children who attended RBHC emergency department last year having swallowed magnets , just under half ( 42 % ) were aged under five and had swallowed magnetic ball toys .
The other 58 % were aged 10 or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ made from magnets .
The RBHSC surgical team also saw and operated on children from all over Northern Ireland referred for specialist surgery .
If more than one magnet is ingested , they can cause erosions and holes in the bowel which can cause sepsis and death if not recognised and operated on in time .
'They burned holes in the intestines' His mother added : `` When I saw the X-ray for the first time I was thinking : 'Oh my goodness how did that happen ? '
`` The magnets were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ' intestines .
`` Two of them were too close together so they had to remove part of his intestines and patch up 14 holes .
So he has loads of scar tissue in his intestines now .
`` They burned holes in the intestines .
Whenever they opened him up some of his intestines already leaked out .
`` The surgeons told me they found 28 balls .
`` ( When ) they put him together they sent him for an X-ray and one of the wee ones was hiding somewhere so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back out again and search bit by bit through it to find that wee grain .
`` I was beating myself up something crazy - I still feel guilt .
He is grand now but we have to look out , after the type of surgery he had , we have to look out for the rest of his life . ''
Mrs Quinn said she wanted to speak out to warn other parents of the dangers posed by the magnetic ball toys , which had been bought online for her older son @ @ @ @ @ @ @ away from the magnets - no matter how clever you think your children are , accidents can happen . ''

"(When) they put him together they sent him for an X-ray and one of the wee ones was hiding somewhere so they had to take all the intestines back out again and search bit by bit through it to find that wee grain.


bbcuk--2020-08-10--Eat out to help out: More than 10.5m meals claimed in first week

Diners used the `` eat out to help out '' scheme more than 10.5 million times in its first week , the Treasury has said .
Under the scheme , which is intended to boost the struggling hospitality sector , the government pays for 50 % of a meal eaten at a cafe , restaurant or pub on a Monday , Tuesday or Wednesday .
The discount , which is due to run through August , is capped at £10 .
Treasury estimates put the average claim at close to £5 , making the cost of the policy around £50m @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as of 9 August , it had received 10,540,394 claims under the scheme .
Chancellor Rishi Sunak described the figures as `` amazing '' , adding those using the scheme were helping support the hospitality sector .
• How can I use the 'eat out to help out ' scheme ?
• 'We 've had 15,000 bookings for eat out to help out' The government has set aside £500m to fund the policy .
And it has already led to an increase in the number of people visiting High Streets across the country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ footfall figures .
It said the number of people in retail destinations after 18:00 BST last Monday , the first day of the scheme , was 19 % higher than the week before .
Meanwhile lunchtime visits were up 10 % .
However , visits to High Streets are still down significantly compared to the same time last year .
The Treasury said that 83,068 restaurants had signed up to the scheme .
They include fast-fast food chains like McDonald 's and KFC as well as lots of local , independent pubs , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that 80 % of hospitality firms stopped trading in April and that 1.4 million workers were furloughed - the highest proportions of any sector .
`` Britons are eating out to help out in big numbers , '' said Mr Sunak .
`` And they are n't just getting a great deal - they 're supporting the almost 2 million people employed in this sector , '' he said .
The discount is only on food and soft drinks eaten on the premises , so it does not apply to takeaways .
There @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the discount can be used in August , or for how many people , including children .

It said the number of people in retail destinations after 18:00 BST last Monday, the first day of the scheme, was 19% higher than the week before. Meanwhile lunchtime visits were up 10%.


bbcuk--2020-08-11--Abuse victim accused of 'grooming' teacher awarded £1m

A man sexually abused as a schoolboy has been awarded more than £1m from his teacher 's employer .
Haringey Council in London argued unsuccessfully the assaults by Andrew Adams had caused no long-term trauma .
Despite pleading guilty to criminal charges , Adams argued in a civil case 13-year-old `` James '' had groomed him .
Haringey said it had `` strongly condemned '' Adams 's actions , adding the appeal had been brought by its insurers to determine the level of damages .
Scared and confused , he confided in his teacher at Highgate Wood School , in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rape proved he was gay , everyone would hate him but he would be his friend .
And he proceeded to groom and then sexually abuse James for years .
Speaking exclusively to BBC News , in his first interview since the ruling in February , James , who asked not to use his real name , said : `` Adams assaulted me in the school changing rooms , the gym and outside of term time in the school 's VW van .
`` He was admired , no-one questioned him . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the home he shared with his mother and rape him while she was in the house .
Afterwards , Adams would make himself a sandwich and eat it while James watched him , hungry .
Adams also took James to Hampstead Heath and public lavatories and made him watch men having sex .
`` His thing was assaulting you in public places and getting away with it , '' James said .
`` He sexually assaulted me in Regent 's Park mosque .
`` And I 'm sure it was just for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
James believes other staff at the school suspected Adams - but no-one investigated .
The teenager became distant from his friends and family .
And the abuse and sexual activity continued until he was 21 .
He felt utterly alone with his secret .
And , even though he was successful in the IT industry , James had two breakdowns .
Meanwhile , Adams thrived , becoming deputy head of Highgate Wood and even having a wing of the school named after him .
Eventually , when talking to a psychiatrist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then went to the police .
And in 2014 , Adams pleaded guilty to charges of assault and buggery against James .
He was sentenced to 12 years in prison , later reduced to eight years on appeal .
By this point , James was so mentally damaged by the legacy of what had happened he could no longer work .
But in court Adams said it was James who had groomed him .
And James had to spend two days in the witness box .
`` The idea that I , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ instigate or groom a 35-year-old teacher - I was shocked , '' he said .
`` All I could do was deny it . ''
Haringey had sought to have James 's claim dismissed in its entirety on the basis it was time barred .
The council 's insurers argued Haringey was not responsible for Adams 's acts after James had : • left the school for a brief period , aged 15 , in 1982 , but continued to go on sailing trips with pupils there - because he had consented to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ school to do his A-levels - because Adams no longer taught him PE And the assaults could not have caused any long-term trauma because they had not been violent .
But the Court of Appeal rejected all the arguments raised on behalf of the local authority .
James was shocked at the council 's attitude .
`` It felt like I was under attack , '' he said .
`` I felt tremendously let down by Haringey .
`` I thought they were dishonest in pretending to the public that they actually care @ @ @ @ @ @ @ someone who has suffered from abuse from one of their staff , and the long-term consequences of that , they want to say it 's nothing to do with them . ''
His solicitor , David McClenaghan , from the firm Bolt Burdon Kemp , told BBC News : `` James can be incredibly proud of himself .
`` The Court of Appeal has roundly accepted his case that it was impossible for him to consent to sexual activity with his teacher , given the background of manipulation and grooming that he was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and survivors of child abuse are unlikely to face these kinds of arguments from defendants like Haringey or people like Andrew Adams . ''
A Haringey Council official said : `` Our sincere sympathies remain with the victim following these incidents at Highgate Wood School back in the 1980s .
`` We have previously strongly condemned the actions of Andrew Adams .
`` And that position has not changed .
`` To be clear , Andrew Adams was jailed in 2014 for admitted criminal acts .
`` This civil case was an appeal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ council , in order to decide the level of damages to be awarded . ''

"I thought they were dishonest in pretending to the public that they actually care, because when they are confronted with someone who has suffered from abuse from one of their staff, and the long-term consequences of that, they want to say it's nothing to do with them."


bbcuk--2020-08-11--Sam Fender starts Gosforth Park socially-distanced gigs

The first in a series of socially-distanced gigs will take place in a Newcastle park this evening .
Concert-goers at Gosforth Park will get their own viewing platforms and be able to order food and drinks to reduce the risk of the spread of coronavirus .
The 500 mini enclosures , 2m ( 6.5ft ) apart , each hold five people .
Brit Awards winner Sam Fender , who is from North Tyneside , is headlining the first gig , with the 2,500 tickets selling out in minutes .
Other acts lined up for August and September include Maximo Park @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Organised by Virgin Money and SSD Concerts , the gigs will have a one-way system in place and food and drink can be pre-ordered to avoid queuing .
Steve Davis from SSD Concerts said the platforms gave `` a great view of the stage '' but would keep people apart .
`` As you can see it 's a vast site - 45,000 sq metres , the equivalent of over six football pitches , which is crazy , '' he said .
`` On a normal day you can get 45,000 people in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gigs will be 2,500 .
`` We 've also got lots more toilets than we would usually have for normal festivals to keep people apart .
`` Hopefully groups together on their platforms in their own bubbles will have a good time and still get the vibe of a really good concert experience . ''
Plans for a series of drive-in concerts across the country were were cancelled in July due to uncertainties over local lockdowns .
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Concert-goers at Gosforth Park will get their own viewing platforms and be able to order food and drinks to reduce the risk of the spread of coronavirus.


bbcuk--2020-08-11--Coronavirus: Celtic apologise for player's 'irresponsible' quarantine breach

Celtic have apologised for a player 's breach of coronavirus rules and described it as `` beyond explanation '' .
Boli Bolingoli admitted he played in Sunday 's match against Kilmarnock despite having recently returned from Spain without quarantining .
The defender said he was `` guilty of an error of judgement '' and apologised .
The club later confirmed all players and backroom staff have since been tested twice and returned negative results .
Scottish Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf said the player 's actions were `` utterly unacceptable . ''
The breach comes after eight Aberdeen players apologised for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Covid-19 outbreak .
Two of the players later tested positive for the virus , while six are currently self-isolating .
Celtic said it `` unreservedly condemns and apologises '' for the behaviour of Bolingoli , who travelled to Spain without informing the club and then failed to observe quarantine restrictions . ''
A club statement added : `` It is difficult to imagine a more irresponsible action in current circumstances and we find it beyond explanation .
`` The club will take immediate action through our own disciplinary procedures . ''
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ touch with every SPFL club and all relevant authorities to apologise `` for the fact that one of our employees has created so much additional difficulty through his actions . ''
In an earlier statement , Bolingoli , 25 , said he wanted to apologise to his manager , team mates , supporters , `` and so many others for letting them down so badly '' .
He added : `` I am guilty of a major error of judgement .
I know what I did was wrong and I know that I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Mr Yousaf said the player 's actions could have major consequences for top flight football , which only resumed in Scotland on 1 August .
He tweeted : `` Utterly unacceptable from Bolingoli .
With a number of incidents , Scot Govt left with little choice but to consider whether pause is now needed in resumption of the game .
`` Operational matter for Border Force & Police Scot , I support whatever enforcement action they deem necessary . ''
The Scottish government said it was in discussion with the club and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` If confirmed as another serious incident within Scottish football , where protocols have been breached at the risk of wider public health , then the Scottish government will have little choice but to consider whether a pause is now needed in the resumption of the game in Scotland , '' they added .
• SCHOOLS : Which are re-opening , when ?
• RULES : Which lockdown rules will change next - and when ?
• FACE MASKS : When should you wear one ?
• TESTING : Who can get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ TOOL : How many cases in your area ?

"If confirmed as another serious incident within Scottish football, where protocols have been breached at the risk of wider public health, then the Scottish government will have little choice but to consider whether a pause is now needed in the resumption of the game in Scotland," they added.


bbcuk--2020-08-11--Jack Leslie: Black footballer statue campaign reaches goal

Crowdfunders have raised £100,000 to erect a statue of a footballer who was dropped from the England team when selectors discovered he was black .
Jack Leslie would have been the first black person to play for the nation having been selected in 1925 .
A campaign for his statue outside Plymouth Argyle 's Home Park stadium has attracted donations from nearly 2,000 people since July .
Campaign co-founder Greg Foxsmith said he was `` delighted '' by the news .
Leslie joined Argyle in 1921 and stayed there for 14 years , making 401 appearances and scoring 137 goals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Jack was not just a great footballer .
He has become a symbol of the injustices in our game and in our society .
`` I hope that when we have his statue up it will become an enduring symbol of the progress we can make in fighting the evil of racism . ''
Leslie 's granddaughter Lyn Davies said : `` I nearly fell over when I realised we had gone over the £100,000 .
It 's just amazing , I 'm stunned . ''
Lesley Hiscott , another granddaughter , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' and `` ecstatic '' .
Former Argyle player Ronnie Mauge described the campaign as `` phenomenal '' and said he was `` so proud of the Plymouth people and the club '' .
`` He [ Leslie ] laid the foundation for someone like me to go to Plymouth , '' Trinidad and Tobago international Mauge added .
Argyle supporter and comedian Josh Widdicombe said the campaign had `` shined a light '' on racism in football .
Mr Foxsmith said : `` We want to use the Jack Leslie story to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , to challenge discrimination , and to show in 2020 we can be better than we were in 1925 . ''
Fundraising for the statue will continue , with proposals for its design considered by Leslie 's family and fans .

Mr Foxsmith said: "We want to use the Jack Leslie story to highlight those issues, to challenge prejudice, to challenge discrimination, and to show in 2020 we can be better than we were in 1925."


bbcuk--2020-08-11--Unemployment rate: How many people are out of work?

Jobs are being cut around the UK because of the impact of coronavirus .
However , the unemployment rate has remained unchanged .
So , what 's going on ?
How many people are unemployed ?
The number of people claiming unemployment benefits surged to 2.7 million between March and July , according to official figures .
However , unemployment is difficult to measure and the picture now is complex .
One measure comes from the Labour Force Survey .
This asks thousands of people every month if they are unemployed and looking for work .
It is used to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % it 's close to the lowest it has been for 40 years - as if the current crisis never happened .
But in a lockdown , many people who want to look for new jobs are unable or unwilling to .
They will be recorded as `` inactive '' and the number of people in this group rose by 383,000 between March and July .
Many more people told the survey they are employed but are on furlough .
This is where people stop working but keep their jobs , and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The latest figures figures show 7.5m temporarily away from their jobs in June .
Furlough comes to an end in October , raising fears that many more people will be out of work if under-pressure employers ca n't pay them .
And the Office for National Statistics ( ONS ) identified around half a million workers who say they have a job but are not working or being paid - freelance bar staff , for example , who expect to return to work when their pubs reopen .
How many job vacancies are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus is beginning to affect the world of work .
The number of employees on UK payrolls fell by 730,000 from March to July .
Employment saw the largest falls in a decade , with younger workers , older workers and less skilled workers hit .
Average earnings fell , and the average number of hours people worked dropped by a record amount to an average of 25.8 hours a week , according to figures for April to June .
However there are some signs of things bouncing back .
Hours worked in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And there was a 10 % rise in vacancies to 370,000 as small businesses took on staff to help meet coronavirus guidelines .
However , vacancies are still at far lower level than they reached even at the depths of the last recession .
This will have a big effect on future unemployment .
Young people will struggle to get their first jobs , and workers who lose their jobs will struggle to find new ones .
How many people are claiming out-of-work benefits ?
Over the past three months the number of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It reached 2.7 million in July - more than doubling since the crisis began in March .
However , there are question marks over this number .
Benefit claimants are being moved to the new universal credit ( UC ) system .
Many groups which would not have been included before are listed as `` searching for work '' under UC and appear in claimant numbers .
For instance , some are working , but only earning small amounts .
Also , many workers may have made a UC claim before receiving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ furlough .
According to research from the Resolution Foundation think tank , these groups account for more than a quarter of the rise in claimant numbers .
Only 45 % of the rise in benefit claimants between March and May was down to newly unemployed people , it calculates .
What will happen to unemployment in the future ?
The furlough scheme ends in October - and employers will have to decide if they can afford to keep those workers .
That could see a big wave of unemployment in the autumn .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ employers were planning at least 139,000 redundancies in June .
Other companies have since announced big job cuts - but those wo n't appear in official unemployment numbers for a couple of months at least .
Scenarios published by the government 's spending watchdog , the Office for Budget Responsibility , give an official view of what might happen to unemployment .
In its optimistic scenario , the unemployment rate peaks at 9.7 % this year , and returns to pre-crisis levels in 2022 .
In its `` downside '' scenario , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ - with four million people out of work .
It is still at 6.3 % by the end of this scenario in 2024 - well above pre-crisis levels .
What questions do you have about unemployment , benefits , what happens next ?
In some cases your question will be published , displaying your name , age and location as you provide it , unless you state otherwise .
Your contact details will never be published .
Please ensure you have read our terms & conditions and privacy policy .
Use this form @ @ @ @ @

Unemployment: Who are the millions of Britons not working? Published 15 March
Image source, Getty Images
About a quarter of people of working-age - around 10 million people - don't currently have jobs.
In the Budget, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt set out a series of measures designed to encourage people to find work, or increase their hours.
How many people are unemployed?
Officially, about 1.3 million people in the UK were unemployed in December 2022: an unemployment rate of 3.7%, lower than any point since the 1970s.
But the unemployed represent only a small part of the 10 million working-age people (aged 16-64) who aren't in a paid job.
Nearly nine million of them aren't called "unemployed". That's because they're not actively looking for work, or available to start a job.
In fact, more of them say they want a job (1.7 million people) than are officially unemployed.
Who isn't working - and why?
The main reasons for not working vary according to age.
Most of the 2.7 million "inactive" people under 25 are students, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The majority of them don't want a job.
You can see that in the graphic below. Click on the darker border surrounding any age group to see the spilt between men and women.
Your device may not support this visualisation
Things are different in other age groups.
The main reasons that 3.5 million over-50s are out of the job market are illness and early retirement. Almost nobody who has retired early says they want to return to work.
Among 25- to 49-year-olds, 1.1 million people don't work because of caring responsibilities (about a million of whom are women).
About 940,000 people in this age group are not working because of illness (more evenly split between men and women).
Image source, Getty Images
Around half of people with disabilities don't have a paid job, a rate that's more than double the rest of the working age population.
About a quarter of those who are sick or caring say they want a job.
Does it matter that people aren't looking for work?
Many people have chosen to do something else: studying, retirement or caring.
But for others it's not a choice.
Some people can't afford childcare if they return to work, others are too sick, or have given up on finding a job.
As the chart below shows, sickness and caring responsibilities are the most common reasons for inactivity given by those who actually would like a paid job.
The number of people not working has a broader effect.
A smaller workforce means less tax to pay for services like the NHS, and greater spending on benefits.
Since people on benefits generally have less money to spend than those in work, it also means less spending on the high street.
That in turn is bad for businesses and how many people they want to employ.
In turn, that can affect how many jobs are available for those who are job hunting.
How does the UK compare with other countries?
During the pandemic, all major countries saw their workforce shrink.
But while most leading economies have since recovered, the UK still has about 400,000 more people not working than in December 2019.
A House of Lords report from December 2022 highlighted reasons including an increase in early retirement and rising levels of sickness.
Since its publication, the number of retirees has fallen back to pre-pandemic levels.
It also said there was a mismatch between available jobs and those that might, for instance, tempt someone out of retirement.
For example, the vacancy rate is highest in restaurants and hotels - an industry often offering shifts, physically-demanding jobs and low wages.
What can be done to get more people into work?
A series of reforms were announced in the Budget to help some people get jobs or increase the hours they work. The measures were particularly aimed at:
older workers
people on benefits
parents and carers of young children
those with health conditions
These include letting people save more in private pensions, extending free childcare and offering more support to help disabled people find paid employment.
Broadening the pool of people given support to return to the job market is key, experts argue.
Helen Gray from the Learning and Work Institute believes job centres should widen their focus and offer more tailored support.
At present, "only one in 10 out-of-work older people and disabled people get help to find work each year," she says.
Louise Murphy from the Resolution Foundation says ministers must look beyond those who left work during the pandemic as many retirees, for example, may never come back.
She says the government should focus on supporting people with disabilities and long-term health problems, as well as parents with children.