The unemployment rate of Leicester was *** percent in the twelve months to March 2025, which was the highest among unitary authorities in England, including metropolitan counties and London. By contrast, Westmorland and Furness, in North West England, had the lowest unemployment rate, at ****percent.

London had the highest unemployment rate among regions of the United Kingdom in the third quarter of 2025 at *** percent, while for the UK as a whole, the unemployment rate was **** percent. Six other regions also had an unemployment rate higher than the national average, while Northern Ireland had the lowest unemployment rate in this time period, at *** percent. Labor market recovery after COVID-19 After reaching historically low levels of unemployment in 2019, there was a noticeable spike in the UK unemployment rate in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. After peaking at ****percent in late 2020, the unemployment rate declined throughout 2021 and 2022. High levels of job vacancies, resignations, and staff shortages in 2022, were all indicative of a very tight labor market that year, but all these measures have started to point in the direction of a slightly looser labor market. UK's regional economic divide While the North of England has some of the country’s largest cities, the sheer size and economic power of London is much larger than the UK's other urban agglomerations. Partly, due to the size of London, the United Kingdom is one of Europe’s most centralized counties, and there is a clear divide between the economic prospects of north and south England. In 2022, for example, the gross domestic product per head in London was ****** British pounds, far higher than the UK average of *******pounds, and significantly larger than North East England, the region with the lowest GDP per head at *******pounds.

In the third quarter of 2025, the unemployment rate in the United Kingdom was highest in Wales, where it was 5.7 percent, followed by England at 5.1 percent, Scotland at 3.7 percent, and 2.4 percent in Northern Ireland, the lowest rate among the four countries of the UK. For all four countries, the peak in unemployment during this period was in the early 2010s. England and Scotland's unemployment rates were highest in Q4 2011 at 8.4 percent and 8.6 percent respectively, with unemployment reaching 9.7 percent in Wales during Q3 2011. Northern Ireland reported its highest unemployment rate in Q1 of 2013 when it reached eight percent. Unemployment ticking up as UK enters 2025 For the United Kingdom as a whole, the unemployment rate was 4.4 percent in November 2024, the joint-highest rate recorded since August 2021. After reaching 8.5 percent in late 2011, unemployment in the UK fell quite consistently for several years, with this recovery interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, which saw unemployment rise to 5.3 percent in late 2020 and early 2021. From this point onwards, however, the labor market bounced back, and was particular strong in 2022 when there were a record number of job vacancies and unemployment fell to as low as 3.6 percent. While the labor market cooled throughout 2023 and 2024, unemployment remained at historically low levels. Overall economy grows but GDP per head falls Throughout the whole of 2024, gross domestic product in the UK grew by 0.9 percent, but in the third quarter of the year, there was no economic growth, followed by the relatively weak growth rate of 0.1 percent in the fourth quarter. Furthermore, GDP per head in the UK, declined for a second-consecutive year, and was just 36,977 pounds in 2024, compared with 37,371 pounds in 2022. Inflation, meanwhile, has fallen from the peak of 11.1 percent in October 2022, but was still at the relatively high rate of 4 percent at the start of 2024, with this falling to 2.5 percent by the end of the year.

As of the third quarter of 2025, the youth unemployment rate in the UK was highest in North East England at 23.6 percent, compared with the UK average of 15.3 percent. As of this quarter, Northern Ireland had the lowest youth unemployment rate at 7.8 percent.

This dataset uses Claimant Count to monitor unemployment in Leicester and Upper-Tier-Local-Authority (UTLA) comparators as defined by the ONS as well as UTLAs in the East Midlands, and England core cities.Claimant Count is the number of people claiming Universal Credit or Jobseekers' Allowance principally for the reason of being unemployed.Claimant Count is a useful proxy for unemployment because it is the most comprehensive unemployment-related dataset published at geographies smaller than the local authority level. While there is significant overlap, it is not the same as the national measure for unemployment, which is based on estimates from the Labour Force Survey and Annual Population Survey.Claimant Count is best used for understanding short term changes in the labour market and the relative position of small areas.Rates are calculated using ONS mid-year or census-based population estimates for the 16-64 year old population as a denominator.A dashboard has also been produced summarising this data into a single page. Click here to view: DashboardFurther information: https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/employmentandemployeetypes/methodologies/aguidetolabourmarketstatistics#introduction

As of the first quarter of 2025, the claimant count rate of the West Midlands Metropolitan County was 7.7 percent, which was the highest among unitary authorities, metropolitan counties, and in London.

Economically Active Population Survey: Unemployment rates by nationality, sex and Autonomous Community. Quarterly. Autonomous Communities and Cities.

China Unemployment Rate: 31-City Survey data was reported at 5.200 % in Mar 2025. This stayed constant from the previous number of 5.200 % for Feb 2025. China Unemployment Rate: 31-City Survey data is updated monthly, averaging 5.100 % from Jun 2013 (Median) to Mar 2025, with 123 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 6.900 % in May 2022 and a record low of 4.700 % in Dec 2018. China Unemployment Rate: 31-City Survey data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Labour Market – Table CN.GB: Surveyed Unemployment. [COVID-19-IMPACT]

The Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) program facilitates a comprehensive Federal-State collaboration to generate monthly estimates of total employment and unemployment for around 7,300 regions, encompassing counties, cities, and metropolitan statistical areas. These estimates serve as pivotal indicators of local economic health. Orchestrated by the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), this dataset offers essential insights into employment dynamics, aiding policymakers, economists, businesses, and researchers in understanding regional labor market trends.

Use and Application: Economists and labor market analysts can use this dataset to analyze local employment and unemployment trends, assess economic disparities among different regions, and identify potential areas for job growth or intervention. Policymakers can make informed decisions about workforce development, job training programs, and economic policies. Businesses can gauge local labor market conditions to inform hiring strategies and expansion plans. Researchers can correlate employment trends with various socio-economic factors, contributing to studies on workforce dynamics. This dataset's nuanced view of employment and unemployment at the local level provides a foundation for targeted economic planning, strategic decision-making, and shaping policies to foster robust and inclusive regional economies.

This dataset provides Census 2021 estimates that classify usual residents aged 16 years and over in England and Wales by NS-SEC and by economic activity status. The estimates are as at Census Day, 21 March 2021.

As Census 2021 was during a unique period of rapid change, take care when using this data for planning purposes. Read more about this quality notice.

As Census 2021 was during a unique period of rapid change, take care when using this data for planning purposes. Read more about this quality notice.

Area type

Census 2021 statistics are published for a number of different geographies. These can be large, for example the whole of England, or small, for example an output area (OA), the lowest level of geography for which statistics are produced.

For higher levels of geography, more detailed statistics can be produced. When a lower level of geography is used, such as output areas (which have a minimum of 100 persons), the statistics produced have less detail. This is to protect the confidentiality of people and ensure that individuals or their characteristics cannot be identified.

Lower tier local authorities

Lower tier local authorities provide a range of local services. There are 309 lower tier local authorities in England made up of 181 non-metropolitan districts, 59 unitary authorities, 36 metropolitan districts and 33 London boroughs (including City of London). In Wales there are 22 local authorities made up of 22 unitary authorities.

Coverage

Census 2021 statistics are published for the whole of England and Wales. However, you can choose to filter areas by:

• country - for example, Wales
• region - for example, London
• local authority - for example, Cornwall
• health area – for example, Clinical Commissioning Group
• statistical area - for example, MSOA or LSOA

National Statistics Socio-economic Classification (NS-SeC)

The National Statistics Socio-economic Classification (NS-SEC) indicates a person's socio-economic position based on their occupation and other job characteristics.

It is an Office for National Statistics standard classification. NS-SEC categories are assigned based on a person's occupation, whether employed, self-employed, or supervising other employees.

Full-time students are recorded in the "full-time students" category regardless of whether they are economically active.

Economic activity status

People aged 16 years and over are economically active if, between 15 March and 21 March 2021, they were:

• in employment (an employee or self-employed)
• unemployed, but looking for work and could start within two weeks
• unemployed, but waiting to start a job that had been offered and accepted

It is a measure of whether or not a person was an active participant in the labour market during this period. Economically inactive are those aged 16 years and over who did not have a job between 15 March to 21 March 2021 and had not looked for work between 22 February to 21 March 2021 or could not start work within two weeks.

The census definition differs from International Labour Organization definition used on the Labour Force Survey, so estimates are not directly comparable.

This classification splits out full-time students from those who are not full-time students when they are employed or unemployed. It is recommended to sum these together to look at all of those in employment or unemployed, or to use the four category labour market classification, if you want to look at all those with a particular labour market status.

Labour Market and Migration Statistics: Unemployment rates by Autonomous Community, sex and time of residence in the municipality. Annual. Autonomous Communities and Cities.

Economically Active Population Survey: Unemployment rates of the population 16 years of age and over and population 16 to 64 years of age by sex and Autonomous Community. Annual. Autonomous Communities and Cities.

Economically Active Population Survey: Unemployment rate of people between 16 and 74 years old by sex and age group. Quarterly. National.

Economically Active Population Survey (EAPS): Unemployment rates by different age groups, sex and Autonomous Community. Quarterly. Autonomous Communities and Cities.

This dataset provides Census 2021 estimates that classify usual residents aged 16 years and over in employment the week before the census in England and Wales by occupation and by economic activity status. The estimates are as at Census Day, 21 March 2021.

As Census 2021 was during a unique period of rapid change, take care when using this data for planning purposes. Read more about this quality notice.

Area type

Census 2021 statistics are published for a number of different geographies. These can be large, for example the whole of England, or small, for example an output area (OA), the lowest level of geography for which statistics are produced.

For higher levels of geography, more detailed statistics can be produced. When a lower level of geography is used, such as output areas (which have a minimum of 100 persons), the statistics produced have less detail. This is to protect the confidentiality of people and ensure that individuals or their characteristics cannot be identified.

Lower tier local authorities

Lower tier local authorities provide a range of local services. There are 309 lower tier local authorities in England made up of 181 non-metropolitan districts, 59 unitary authorities, 36 metropolitan districts and 33 London boroughs (including City of London). In Wales there are 22 local authorities made up of 22 unitary authorities.

Coverage

Census 2021 statistics are published for the whole of England and Wales. However, you can choose to filter areas by:

• country - for example, Wales
• region - for example, London
• local authority - for example, Cornwall
• health area – for example, Clinical Commissioning Group
• statistical area - for example, MSOA or LSOA

Occupation (current)

Classifies what people aged 16 years and over do as their main job. Their job title or details of activities they do in their job and any supervisory or management responsibilities form this classification. This information is used to code responses to an occupation using the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) 2020.

It classifies people who were in employment between 15 March and 21 March 2021, by the SOC code that represents their current occupation.

The lowest level of detail available is the four-digit SOC code which includes all codes in three, two and one digit SOC code levels.

Economic activity status

People aged 16 years and over are economically active if, between 15 March and 21 March 2021, they were:

• in employment (an employee or self-employed)
• unemployed, but looking for work and could start within two weeks
• unemployed, but waiting to start a job that had been offered and accepted

It is a measure of whether or not a person was an active participant in the labour market during this period. Economically inactive are those aged 16 years and over who did not have a job between 15 March to 21 March 2021 and had not looked for work between 22 February to 21 March 2021 or could not start work within two weeks.

The census definition differs from International Labour Organization definition used on the Labour Force Survey, so estimates are not directly comparable.

This classification splits out full-time students from those who are not full-time students when they are employed or unemployed. It is recommended to sum these together to look at all of those in employment or unemployed, or to use the four category labour market classification, if you want to look at all those with a particular labour market status.

Employment Rate 16 to 64 for Birmingham and constituencies within Birmingham Source - Annual Population Survey ONS - A residence based labour market survey encompassing population, economic activity (employment and unemployment), economic inactivity and qualifications. These are broken down where possible by gender, age, ethnicity, industry and occupation. Available at Local Authority level and above. Updated quarterly Additional metadata: - Licence: http://reference.data.gov.uk/id/open-government-licence

Table of INEBase Unemployment rates by nationality, sex and Autonomous Community. Annual. Autonomous Communities and Cities. Economically Active Population Survey

A range of indicators for a selection of cities from the New York City Global City database. Dataset includes the following: Geography City Area (km2) Metro Area (km2) People City Population (millions) Metro Population (millions) Foreign Born Annual Population Growth Economy GDP Per Capita (thousands $, PPP rates, per resident) Primary Industry Secondary Industry Share of Global 500 Companies (%) Unemployment Rate Poverty Rate Transportation Public Transportation Mass Transit Commuters Major Airports Major Ports Education Students Enrolled in Higher Education Percent of Population with Higher Education (%) Higher Education Institutions Tourism Total Tourists Annually (millions) Foreign Tourists Annually (millions) Domestic Tourists Annually (millions) Annual Tourism Revenue ($US billions) Hotel Rooms (thousands) Health Infant Mortality (Deaths per 1,000 Births) Life Expectancy in Years (Male) Life Expectancy in Years (Female) Physicians per 100,000 People Number of Hospitals Anti-Smoking Legislation Culture Number of Museums Number of Cultural and Arts Organizations Environment Green Spaces (km2) Air Quality Laws or Regulations to Improve Energy Efficiency Retrofitted City Vehicle Fleet Bike Share Program

Table of INEBase Unemployment rate of people between 16 and 74 years old by educational level attained and Autonomous Community. Annual. Autonomous Communities and Cities. Economically Active Population Survey

Economically Active Population Survey: Unemployment rate of people between 16 and 74 years old by educational level attained and Autonomous Community. Annual. Autonomous Communities and Cities.