The UK employment rate for people from white background was 3.6% compared to 7.0% for people of BME backgrounds in April-June 2019.
This is according to a December 2019 briefing paper from the House of Commons on unemployment by ethnic background.
The report also finds that:
- The unemployment percentage of people of BME background has increased slightly since 2018, from 6.9% to 7.0%
- People from a Black background had the highest unemployment rate at 9% within BME backgrounds, followed by those of a Pakistani or Bangladeshi background at 8%
- Unemployment rates were highest amongst young people aged 16-24 from a Black background (22%) compared to a rate of 10% for young people from a White background in July 2018
