The UK saw a sharp rise in unemployment claims by 135,000 in July 2024, bringing the total to 1.801 million. This increase, reported by the Office for National Statistics, significantly surpasses the expected 14,500 rise and follows a revised increase of 36,200 in June. While the unemployment rate appears to have dropped to 4.2%, this figure is from June, making it outdated and potentially misleading given the latest surge in claims. Additionally, wage pressures have slightly eased, adding more complexity to the UK’s labor market outlook.