Official data to reveal big hits to jobs and tax in just the first two weeks of Covid-19 lockdown

Two sets of official figures published later today will show the devastating effects on jobs and on Government finances – with the March unemployment rate soaring to as much as 17% -- just two weeks into start of the Covid-19 lockdown.

The Live Register published this morning could see an unprecedented jump to as many as 500,000 people on this claimant count, with potentially 300,000 joining the register since the lockdown started from March 17. The CSO postponed the publication of the official unemployment rate but will issue the Live Register to take account of the hundreds of thousands applying for Government Covid-19 and income-support schemes.