Main labour market statistics time series data (large dataset).

Labour market status by ethnic group, UK, published quarterly, non-seasonally adjusted. Labour Force Survey. These are official statistics in development.

There were over 34 million people employed in the United Kingdom in the three months to April 2025. In general, the number of people employed has consistently increased, with noticeable dips in employment occurring in 2008 due to the global financial crisis, and in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Labor market hot streak in 2022 Although there was a sharp increase in the UK's unemployment rate in the aftermath of COVID-19, the UK labor market bounced back forcefully after this sudden shock. By the middle of 2022, the UK's unemployment rate had recovered to pre-pandemic levels, while the number of job vacancies in the UK reached record highs. Wage growth was, by this point, growing at a much slower rate than inflation, which peaked at 11.1 percent in October 2022. In the two years since this peak, the UK labor market has cooled slightly; with unemployment reaching 4.4 percent by December 2024, and the number of job vacancies falling to the lowest figures since May 2021. Characteristics of UK workers As of 2024, the majority of UK workers were working in the private sector, at over 27.6 million workers. In the same year the size of the UK's public sector workforce stood at approximately 6.1 million, with over two million of these people working for the UK's National Health Service (NHS), and a further 1.66 million in the public education sector. In the UK's private sector, the industry sector which employed the most people was wholesale and retail, which had a workforce of over 4.9 million people, followed by administrative and support service roles at around 3.1 million.

United Kingdom UK: Labour Force data was reported at 33,870,286.000 Person in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 33,693,492.000 Person for 2016. United Kingdom UK: Labour Force data is updated yearly, averaging 30,005,845.500 Person from Dec 1990 (Median) to 2017, with 28 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 33,870,286.000 Person in 2017 and a record low of 28,418,872.000 Person in 1995. United Kingdom UK: Labour Force data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United Kingdom – Table UK.World Bank.WDI: Labour Force. Labor force comprises people ages 15 and older who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period. It includes people who are currently employed and people who are unemployed but seeking work as well as first-time job-seekers. Not everyone who works is included, however. Unpaid workers, family workers, and students are often omitted, and some countries do not count members of the armed forces. Labor force size tends to vary during the year as seasonal workers enter and leave.; ; Derived using data from International Labour Organization, ILOSTAT database and World Bank population estimates. Labor data retrieved in September 2018.; Sum; Data up to 2016 are estimates while data from 2017 are projections.

In April 2025, the employment rate in the United Kingdom was 75.1 percent, up from 75 percent in the previous month. After almost dropping below 70 percent in 2011, the employment rate in the United Kingdom started to climb at a relatively fast pace, peaking in early 2020. Due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, however, the employment declined to 74.6 percent by January 2021. Although not quite at pre-pandemic levels, the employment rate has since recovered. Labor market trouble in 2025? Although unemployment in the UK spiked at 5.3 percent in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, it fell throughout most of 2022, to just 3.6 percent in August 2022. Around that time, the number of job vacancies in the UK was also at quite high levels, reaching a peak of 1.3 million by May 2022. The strong labor market put employees in quite a strong position, perhaps encouraging the high number of resignations that took place around that time. Since 2023, however, the previously hot labor market has cooled, with unemployment reaching 4.6 percent in April 2025, and job vacancies falling to a four-year-low of 736,000 in May 2025. Furthermore, the number of employees on UK payrolls has fallen by 227,500 in the first five months of the year, indicating that 2025 will be a tough one for the labor market. Headline economic measures revised in early 2025 Along with the unemployment rate, the UK's inflation rate is also expected to be higher than initially thought in 2025, reaching a rate of 3.2 percent for the year. The economy will also grow at a slower pace of one percent, rather than the initial prediction of two percent. Though these negative trends are not expected to continue in the long term, the current government has already expended significant political capital on unpopular decisions, such as the cutting of Winter Fuel Payments to pensioners in 2024. As of June 2025, they are almost as unpopular as the previous government, with a net approval rating of -52 percent.

Breakdowns of the prevalence of homeworking by industry, occupation, region, age, sex and ethnicity.

United Kingdom UK: Labour Force Participation Rate: Modeled ILO Estimate: Aged 15-24 data was reported at 57.717 % in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 57.889 % for 2016. United Kingdom UK: Labour Force Participation Rate: Modeled ILO Estimate: Aged 15-24 data is updated yearly, averaging 61.869 % from Dec 1990 (Median) to 2017, with 28 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 71.828 % in 1990 and a record low of 57.407 % in 2014. United Kingdom UK: Labour Force Participation Rate: Modeled ILO Estimate: Aged 15-24 data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United Kingdom – Table UK.World Bank.WDI: Labour Force. Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24 is the proportion of the population ages 15-24 that is economically active: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.; ; International Labour Organization, ILOSTAT database. Data retrieved in September 2018.; Weighted average; Data up to 2016 are estimates while data from 2017 are projections. National estimates are also available in the WDI database. Caution should be used when comparing ILO estimates with national estimates.

United Kingdom UK: Labour Force: Female: % of Total Labour Force data was reported at 46.528 % in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 46.515 % for 2016. United Kingdom UK: Labour Force: Female: % of Total Labour Force data is updated yearly, averaging 45.614 % from Dec 1990 (Median) to 2017, with 28 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 46.528 % in 2017 and a record low of 43.192 % in 1990. United Kingdom UK: Labour Force: Female: % of Total Labour Force data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United Kingdom – Table UK.World Bank.WDI: Labour Force. Female labor force as a percentage of the total show the extent to which women are active in the labor force. Labor force comprises people ages 15 and older who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.; ; Derived using data from International Labour Organization, ILOSTAT database and World Bank population estimates. Labor data retrieved in September 2018.; Weighted average; Data up to 2016 are estimates while data from 2017 are projections.

As of the first quarter of 2025, the employment rate in the United Kingdom was highest among 35 to 49-year-old's, with **** percent of that age group employed. In the same quarter, approximately **** percent of over 65s were employed, a peak for this provided time period, while the employment rate for 16 to 24s was **** percent, one of the lowest rates for this age group.

Flows estimates from the Labour Force Survey, levels and rates, UK, quarterly.

United Kingdom UK: Labour Force With Advanced Education: % of Total Working-age Population data was reported at 80.400 % in 2016. This stayed constant from the previous number of 80.400 % for 2015. United Kingdom UK: Labour Force With Advanced Education: % of Total Working-age Population data is updated yearly, averaging 86.180 % from Dec 1992 (Median) to 2016, with 24 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 88.000 % in 2005 and a record low of 79.810 % in 2012. United Kingdom UK: Labour Force With Advanced Education: % of Total Working-age Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s UK – Table UK.World Bank: Labour Force. The percentage of the working age population with an advanced level of education who are in the labor force. Advanced education comprises short-cycle tertiary education, a bachelor’s degree or equivalent education level, a master’s degree or equivalent education level, or doctoral degree or equivalent education level according to the International Standard Classification of Education 2011 (ISCED 2011).; ; International Labour Organization, ILOSTAT database. Data retrieved in November 2017.; Weighted Average;

The Labour Force Survey (LFS) is a survey of the population of private households, student halls of residence and NHS accommodation.

Background
The Labour Force Survey (LFS) is a unique source of information using international definitions of employment and unemployment and economic inactivity, together with a wide range of related topics such as occupation, training, hours of work and personal characteristics of household members aged 16 years and over. It is used to inform social, economic and employment policy. The LFS was first conducted biennially from 1973-1983. Between 1984 and 1991 the survey was carried out annually and consisted of a quarterly survey conducted throughout the year and a 'boost' survey in the spring quarter (data were then collected seasonally). From 1992 quarterly data were made available, with a quarterly sample size approximately equivalent to that of the previous annual data. The survey then became known as the Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS). From December 1994, data gathering for Northern Ireland moved to a full quarterly cycle to match the rest of the country, so the QLFS then covered the whole of the UK (though some additional annual Northern Ireland LFS datasets are also held at the UK Data Archive). Further information on the background to the QLFS may be found in the documentation.

Longitudinal data
The LFS retains each sample household for five consecutive quarters, with a fifth of the sample replaced each quarter. The main survey was designed to produce cross-sectional data, but the data on each individual have now been linked together to provide longitudinal information. The longitudinal data comprise two types of linked datasets, created using the weighting method to adjust for non-response bias. The two-quarter datasets link data from two consecutive waves, while the five-quarter datasets link across a whole year (for example January 2010 to March 2011 inclusive) and contain data from all five waves. A full series of longitudinal data has been produced, going back to winter 1992. Linking together records to create a longitudinal dimension can, for example, provide information on gross flows over time between different labour force categories (employed, unemployed and economically inactive). This will provide detail about people who have moved between the categories. Also, longitudinal information is useful in monitoring the effects of government policies and can be used to follow the subsequent activities and circumstances of people affected by specific policy initiatives, and to compare them with other groups in the population. There are however methodological problems which could distort the data resulting from this longitudinal linking. The ONS continues to research these issues and advises that the presentation of results should be carefully considered, and warnings should be included with outputs where necessary.

New reweighting policy
Following the new reweighting policy ONS has reviewed the latest population estimates made available during 2019 and have decided not to carry out a 2019 LFS and APS reweighting exercise. Therefore, the next reweighting exercise will take place in 2020. These will incorporate the 2019 Sub-National Population Projection data (published in May 2020) and 2019 Mid-Year Estimates (published in June 2020). It is expected that reweighted Labour Market aggregates and microdata will be published towards the end of 2020/early 2021.

LFS Documentation
The documentation available from the Archive to accompany LFS datasets largely consists of the latest version of each user guide volume alongside the appropriate questionnaire for the year concerned. However, volumes are updated periodically by ONS, so users are advised to check the latest documents on the ONS Labour Force Survey - User Guidance pages before commencing analysis. This is especially important for users of older QLFS studies, where information and guidance in the user guide documents may have changed over time.

Additional data derived from the QLFS
The Archive also holds further QLFS series: End User Licence (EUL) quarterly data; Secure Access datasets; household datasets; quarterly, annual and ad hoc module datasets compiled for Eurostat; and some additional annual Northern Ireland datasets.

Variables DISEA and LNGLST
Dataset A08 (Labour market status of disabled people) which ONS suspended due to an apparent discontinuity between April to June 2017 and July to September 2017 is now available. As a result of this apparent discontinuity and the inconclusive investigations at this stage, comparisons should be made with caution between April to June 2017 and subsequent time periods. However users should note that the estimates are not seasonally adjusted, so some of the change between quarters could be due to seasonality. Further recommendations on historical comparisons of the estimates will be given in November 2018 when ONS are due to publish estimates for July to September 2018.

An article explaining the quality assurance investigations that have been conducted so far is available on the ONS Methodology webpage. For any queries about Dataset A08 please email Labour.Market@ons.gov.uk.

Occupation data for 2021 and 2022 data files

The ONS has identified an issue with the collection of some occupational data in 2021 and 2022 data files in a number of their surveys. While they estimate any impacts will be small overall, this will affect the accuracy of the breakdowns of some detailed (four-digit Standard Occupational Classification (SOC)) occupations, and data derived from them. Further information can be found in the ONS article published on 11 July 2023: https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/employmentandemployeetypes/articles/revisionofmiscodedoccupationaldataintheonslabourforcesurveyuk/january2021toseptember2022" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Revision of miscoded occupational data in the ONS Labour Force Survey, UK: January 2021 to September 2022.

2022 Weighting

The population totals used for the latest LFS estimates use projected growth rates from Real Time Information (RTI) data for UK, EU and non-EU populations based on 2021 patterns. The total population used for the LFS therefore does not take into account any changes in migration, birth rates, death rates, and so on since June 2021, and hence levels estimates may be under- or over-estimating the true values and should be used with caution. Estimates of rates will, however, be robust.

Latest edition information

For the second edition (February 2025), the data file was resupplied with the 2024 weighting variable included (LGWT24).

United Kingdom UK: Labour Force Participation Rate: Modeled ILO Estimate: Ratio of Female to Male data was reported at 83.419 % in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 83.277 % for 2016. United Kingdom UK: Labour Force Participation Rate: Modeled ILO Estimate: Ratio of Female to Male data is updated yearly, averaging 78.418 % from Dec 1990 (Median) to 2017, with 28 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 83.419 % in 2017 and a record low of 70.182 % in 1990. United Kingdom UK: Labour Force Participation Rate: Modeled ILO Estimate: Ratio of Female to Male data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United Kingdom – Table UK.World Bank.WDI: Labour Force. Labor force participation rate is the proportion of the population ages 15 and older that is economically active: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period. Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate is calculated by dividing female labor force participation rate by male labor force participation rate and multiplying by 100.; ; Derived using data from International Labour Organization, ILOSTAT database. Data retrieved in September 2018.; Weighted average; Data up to 2016 are estimates while data from 2017 are projections. National estimates are also available in the WDI database. Caution should be used when comparing ILO estimates with national estimates.

United Kingdom UK: Labour Force With Intermediate Education: % of Total Working-age Population data was reported at 69.519 % in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 69.232 % for 2016. United Kingdom UK: Labour Force With Intermediate Education: % of Total Working-age Population data is updated yearly, averaging 76.160 % from Dec 1992 (Median) to 2017, with 25 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 77.939 % in 2000 and a record low of 69.232 % in 2016. United Kingdom UK: Labour Force With Intermediate Education: % of Total Working-age Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s UK – Table UK.World Bank: Labour Force. The percentage of the working age population with an intermediate level of education who are in the labor force. Intermediate education comprises upper secondary or post-secondary non tertiary education according to the International Standard Classification of Education 2011 (ISCED 2011).; ; International Labour Organization, ILOSTAT database. Data retrieved in September 2018.; Weighted average;

United Kingdom UK: Labour Force: % Change over Previous Period data was reported at 0.013 % in Mar 2018. This records a decrease from the previous number of 0.300 % for Feb 2018. United Kingdom UK: Labour Force: % Change over Previous Period data is updated monthly, averaging 0.018 % from May 1992 (Median) to Mar 2018, with 311 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 0.875 % in Jun 2010 and a record low of -0.439 % in Sep 1994. United Kingdom UK: Labour Force: % Change over Previous Period data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by International Monetary Fund. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United Kingdom – Table UK.IMF.IFS: Labour Force, Employment and Unemployment.