Unemployment
4.5What the syllabus asks of you
- meaning of unemployment
- measures of unemployment, with reference to possible difficulties in measurement
- causes and types of unemployment: frictional, structural, cyclical, seasonal and technological
- consequences of unemployment
Drill this topic
Every question on Unemployment, untimed, marked as you go.
Make a worksheet
Choose the years and how many questions, then print it with the answers on separate pages.
53 questions
1May / June 2026 · Paper 12 · Q19Show mark scheme →
Alabour force
Bactual output
Cproductive capacity
Dpotential output
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2May / June 2026 · Paper 13 · Q20Show mark scheme →
ASome workers are not provided with enough work to work at their full capacity.
BSome workers fail to register themselves for unemployment benefits.
CSome workers give up looking for work due to a lack of job opportunities.
DSome workers may claim to be unemployed to avoid paying income tax.
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3May / June 2026 · Paper 14 · Q16Show mark scheme →
Acyclical unemployment
Bfrictional unemployment
Cseasonal unemployment
Dstructural unemployment
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4May / June 2026 · Paper 32 · Q15Show mark scheme →
Acyclical
Bfrictional
Cseasonal
Dvoluntary
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5Oct / Nov 2025 · Paper 13 · Q21Show mark scheme →
Acyclical
Bfrictional
Cseasonal
Dtechnological
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6Oct / Nov 2025 · Paper 14 · Q16Show mark scheme →
AA
BB
CC
DD
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7Oct / Nov 2025 · Paper 33 · Q18Show mark scheme →
Adecrease direct taxes, decrease unemployment benefits
Bdecrease direct taxes, increase unemployment benefits
Cincrease direct taxes, decrease unemployment benefits
Dincrease direct taxes, increase unemployment benefits
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8May / June 2025 · Paper 11 · Q18Show mark scheme →
Acyclical
Bfrictional
Cstructural
Dvoluntary
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9May / June 2025 · Paper 12 · Q19Show mark scheme →
Alack of relevant skills for vacant jobs
Black of up-to-date job vacancy information
Cgreater use of technology in the production process
Dan increase in regional pay inequality
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10May / June 2025 · Paper 13 · Q17Show mark scheme →
A2.5%
B5%
C6.25%
D12.5%
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11Feb / March 2025 · Paper 12 · Q17Show mark scheme →
Aa reduction in job search times / real wage rates are flexible
Bmore job vacancy websites / the closure of several large mining firms
Cunemployment benefits have decreased / a fall in economic growth
Dunemployment benefits have increased / workers' skills do not match available jobs
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12Oct / Nov 2024 · Paper 12 · Q16Show mark scheme →
Acyclical
Bfrictional
Cseasonal
Dstructural
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13Oct / Nov 2024 · Paper 12 · Q23Show mark scheme →
Anet inward immigration
Ban increase in the level of unemployment benefits
Can increase in the age at which state pensions are payable
Dan increase in the number of university students
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14Oct / Nov 2024 · Paper 13 · Q17Show mark scheme →
Aan economy moving into a period of recession
Breplacement of workers with computers in the service sector
Ca change from an agriculturally based economy to an industrial economy
Da rise in the number of workers leaving one job to look for another job
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15Oct / Nov 2024 · Paper 31 · Q20Show mark scheme →
A25%
B33%
C60%
D75%
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16May / June 2024 · Paper 11 · Q17Show mark scheme →
Acyclical
Bfrictional
Cseasonal
Dstructural
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17May / June 2024 · Paper 31 · Q18Show mark scheme →
AFrance and the UK experienced the same trends in unemployment.
BFrance had a higher number of unemployed people than the UK.
CThe UK used a different definition of unemployment from France.
DThe UK was more successful than France in controlling unemployment.
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18May / June 2024 · Paper 32 · Q17Show mark scheme →
A19.4% of the economy is working illegally.
B23.4% of the age group is economically inactive.
C80.6% of the age group is economically active.
DThe data is inaccurate.
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19May / June 2024 · Paper 33 · Q18Show mark scheme →
AFrance and the UK experienced the same trends in unemployment.
BFrance had a higher number of unemployed people than the UK.
CThe UK used a different definition of unemployment from France.
DThe UK was more successful than France in controlling unemployment.
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20Feb / March 2024 · Paper 12 · Q18Show mark scheme →
Athe total adult population aged 18–65.
Bthe number of unemployed who are seeking work.
Cthe total number in full-time employment.
Dthe total population in the labour force.
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21Oct / Nov 2023 · Paper 11 · Q18Show mark scheme →
Aable; below the current
Bable; the current
Cable, available and willing; above the current
Dable, available and willing; the current
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22Oct / Nov 2023 · Paper 11 · Q25Show mark scheme →
Amore capital-intensive manufacturing
Bmore demand for public sector workers
Cmore government spending on education
Dmore information on labour market vacancies
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23Oct / Nov 2023 · Paper 13 · Q19Show mark scheme →
Africtional
Bseasonal
Cstructural
Dtechnological
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24Oct / Nov 2023 · Paper 31 · Q21Show mark scheme →
Acyclical
Bfrictional
Cregional
Dseasonal
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25Oct / Nov 2023 · Paper 33 · Q18Show mark scheme →
AFrictional unemployment will decrease.
BThe geographical mobility of labour will increase.
CStructural unemployment will increase.
DVoluntary unemployment will increase.
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26May / June 2023 · Paper 11 · Q20Show mark scheme →
Aa fall in consumer expenditure across the whole period
Ban initial fall in consumer expenditure followed by a rise
Can initial rise in consumer expenditure followed by a fall
Da rise in consumer expenditure across the whole period
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27May / June 2023 · Paper 12 · Q22Show mark scheme →
Atechnological — introduce minimum wage legislation
Bcyclical — raise government spending
Cfrictional — increase advertising of job vacancies
Dstructural — retrain workers
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28May / June 2023 · Paper 31 · Q19Show mark scheme →
Aworked as a coal miner but coal-fired power stations are now being closed and is not willing to retrain
Bno longer works in a town centre coffee shop because fewer people are buying goods in the town centre since a pandemic
Ccannot move with the firm that has relocated because of changing demand for its products
Dhas many skills and is waiting to decide which job might be the most suitable
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29May / June 2023 · Paper 31 · Q21Show mark scheme →
Acut welfare spending on benefits
Bimprove information about job vacancies
Creduce tax rates
Draise interest rates
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30May / June 2023 · Paper 31 · Q28Show mark scheme →
Aunemployed: no; inactive: no; self-employed: no
Bunemployed: yes; inactive: no; self-employed: yes
Cunemployed: yes; inactive: yes; self-employed: no
Dunemployed: no; inactive: yes; self-employed: yes
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31May / June 2023 · Paper 32 · Q22Show mark scheme →
Acyclical
Bfrictional
Cstructural
Dtechnological
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32May / June 2023 · Paper 33 · Q19Show mark scheme →
Aworked as a coal miner but coal-fired power stations are now being closed and is not willing to retrain
Bno longer works in a town centre coffee shop because fewer people are buying goods in the town centre since a pandemic
Ccannot move with the firm that has relocated because of changing demand for its products
Dhas many skills and is waiting to decide which job might be the most suitable
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33May / June 2023 · Paper 33 · Q21Show mark scheme →
Acut welfare spending on benefits
Bimprove information about job vacancies
Creduce tax rates
Draise interest rates
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34May / June 2023 · Paper 33 · Q28Show mark scheme →
Aunemployed: no; inactive: no; self-employed: no
Bunemployed: yes; inactive: no; self-employed: yes
Cunemployed: yes; inactive: yes; self-employed: no
Dunemployed: no; inactive: yes; self-employed: yes
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35Oct / Nov 2022 · Paper 31 · Q21Show mark scheme →
ACyclical unemployment is caused by the occupational immobility of labour.
BFrictional unemployment is caused by a lack of information on jobs in the labour market.
CStructural unemployment is caused by a deficiency in aggregate demand.
DVoluntary unemployment is caused by variations in the demand for labour in the year.
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36Oct / Nov 2022 · Paper 31 · Q22Show mark scheme →
Aa reduction in government expenditure
Ba reduction in interest rates
Ca reduction in investment by firms
Da slowdown in growth in the global economy
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37Oct / Nov 2022 · Paper 32 · Q21Show mark scheme →
Aa general decrease in the demand for goods and services
Ba lack of necessary skills in the workforce
Ca temporary change in the pattern of consumers' expenditure
Dan unwillingness of workers to move to other parts of the country where there is work
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38Oct / Nov 2022 · Paper 33 · Q21Show mark scheme →
Aa single parent who would like to work but cannot afford to pay for child-care facilities
Ba teacher who has decided to retire permanently
Ca redundant steel worker who is not actively seeking alternative work
Da student who is desperately seeking any weekend job to supplement his income
Mark scheme
39Oct / Nov 2022 · Paper 33 · Q26Show mark scheme →
ADemand-pull inflation is likely to increase.
BPotential output is likely to increase.
CThe balance of payments deficit is likely to increase.
DThe budget deficit is likely to increase.
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40May / June 2022 · Paper 31 · Q21Show mark scheme →
Acyclical
Bfrictional
Cstructural
Dvoluntary
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41May / June 2022 · Paper 31 · Q22Show mark scheme →
Areduce the rate of income tax
Bincrease the rate of interest on borrowing for investment
Csubsidise products produced by labour-intensive methods
Dsubsidise exports produced by high-technology industries
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42May / June 2022 · Paper 32 · Q23Show mark scheme →
Aa fall in aggregate demand
Ba fall in expenditure on welfare
Ca fall in revenues from income tax
Da fall in the rate of economic growth
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43May / June 2022 · Paper 32 · Q26Show mark scheme →
ABalanced budgets should be a key policy aim.
BInflation is caused by excessive money supply growth.
CUnemployment can still persist in the long run.
DWages are flexible downwards in the short run.
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44May / June 2022 · Paper 33 · Q21Show mark scheme →
Acyclical
Bfrictional
Cstructural
Dvoluntary
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45May / June 2022 · Paper 33 · Q22Show mark scheme →
Areduce the rate of income tax
Bincrease the rate of interest on borrowing for investment
Csubsidise products produced by labour-intensive methods
Dsubsidise exports produced by high-technology industries
Mark scheme
46Feb / March 2022 · Paper 32 · Q22Show mark scheme →
Acyclical
Bfrictional
Cseasonal
Dvoluntary
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47Feb / March 2022 · Paper 32 · Q23Show mark scheme →
A5%
B23%
C73%
D95%
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48Feb / March 2022 · Paper 32 · Q30Show mark scheme →
ACountries with current account surpluses had low unemployment rates.
BCountries with high economic growth rates had high inflation rates.
CCountries with low economic growth rates had high unemployment rates.
DCountries with positive economic growth rates had current account deficits.
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49Oct / Nov 2021 · Paper 32 · Q21Show mark scheme →
A15m
B15.5m
C22m
D22.5m
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50Oct / Nov 2021 · Paper 33 · Q21Show mark scheme →
AAsian exporters of manufactured goods to the US experience a fall in labour costs per unit of output.
BTariffs on Asian manufacturing imports increase.
CThe percentage of US manufacturing employees belonging to a trade union falls.
DThe US dollar's real effective exchange rate against the Asian currencies falls.
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51May / June 2021 · Paper 32 · Q21Show mark scheme →
Ano / no / no
Bno / yes / yes
Cyes / yes / no
Dyes / yes / yes
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52May / June 2021 · Paper 32 · Q28Show mark scheme →
Aa switch from direct to indirect taxation
Ban increase in demand-pull inflation
Can increase in the balance of trade deficit
Dan increase in the government budget deficit
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53Feb / March 2021 · Paper 32 · Q21Show mark scheme →
AMariana: frictional unemployment; Alfonso: seasonal unemployment
BMariana: regional unemployment; Alfonso: frictional unemployment
CMariana: structural unemployment; Alfonso: cyclical unemployment
DMariana: technological unemployment; Alfonso: structural unemployment
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