Change to jobs market data could not come at worse time for Bank of England

ONS decision to switch to ‘experimental’ unemployment figures occurs as interest rate decision looms next week

• UK unemployment rises to 4.2%, according to official data
• Business live – latest updates

The general rule of thumb that all economic data should be treated with caution applies in spades to the latest jobs figures released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

After admitting its old method for taking the temperature of the labour market was no longer fit for purpose, the ONS has published “experimental” assessments for employment, unemployment and inactivity based on a range of sources.