The unemployment rate of the United Kingdom was five percent in September 2025, up from 4.8 percent in the previous month, and the highest rate of unemployment since 2021. Before the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic, the UK had relatively low levels of unemployment. Between January 2000 and the most recent month, unemployment was highest in November 2011, when the unemployment rate hit 8.5 percent. Will unemployment continue to rise in 2025? Although low by historic standards, there has been a noticeable uptick in the UK's unemployment rate, with other labor market indicators also pointing to further loosening. In December 2024, the number of job vacancies in the UK fell to its lowest level since May 2021, while payrolled employment declined by 47,000 compared with November. Whether this is a continuation of a broader cooling of the labor market since 2022 or a reaction to more recent economic developments, such as upcoming tax rises for employers, remains to be seen. Forecasts made in late 2024 suggest that the unemployment rate will remain relatively stable in 2025, averaging out at 4.1 percent and falling again to four percent in 2026.
Demographics of the unemployed As of the third quarter of 2024, the unemployment rate for men was slightly higher than that of women, at 4.4 percent, compared to 4.1 percent. During the financial crisis at the end of the 2000s, the unemployment rate for women peaked at a quarterly rate of 7.7 percent, whereas for men, the rate was 9.1 percent. Unemployment is also heavily associated with age, and young people in general are far more vulnerable to unemployment than older age groups. In late 2011, for example, the unemployment rate for those aged between 16 and 24 reached 22.3 percent, compared with 8.2 percent for people aged 25 to 34, while older age groups had even lower peaks during this time.

In 2025, the annual unemployment rate of the United Kingdom is expected to be *** percent, compared with *** percent in 2024. Unemployment is forecast to fall to *** percent in 2026, gradually declining to *** percent by 2028. In the UK's last government budget in October 2024, the country's unemployment rate for 2025 was forecast to average out at *** percent, but this was increased to *** percent in the "Spring Statement" on public finances in March 2025. Uptick in unemployment after falling to historic lows A common indicator of an economy’s relative health, the unemployment rate in the UK generally fell throughout most of the 2010s, after reaching *** percent in late 2011. After a sudden increase in unemployment during the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a steep decline that lasted until August 2022, when the unemployment rate was just *** percent. There was then a rise in unemployment from 2023 onwards, which continued throughout 2024 and into 2025. This has been matched by a fall in UK job vacancies, which peaked at *** million in May 2022, but has been falling in most months since then, with approximately ******* vacancies in February 2025. Revisions to GDP and inflation for 2025 Since the global financial crisis of the late 2000s, and especially since the COVID-19 pandemic, the UK's economic growth has been poor, with the UK alternating between weak growth and slight contractions. For 2025, the UK economy is set to grow by just *** percent, a downgrade from *** percent predicted in late 2024. Inflation, which skyrocketed from late 2021 onwards, reached a peak of **** percent in October 2022, and although down to more usual levels by 2024, is expected to rise in 2025, reaching around *** percent by the second half of the year.

Unemployment Rate in the United Kingdom increased to 5 percent in September from 4.80 percent in August of 2025. This dataset provides the latest reported value for - United Kingdom Unemployment Rate - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.

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.

Approximately 14.1 percent of people aged 16 to 24 were unemployed in the United Kingdom in the second quarter of 2025, the highest of any age group in that month. During this time period, older age groups have had much lower unemployment rates than younger ones, who have consistently had the highest unemployment rate. For almost all the age groups, the peak in the unemployment rate was recorded in 2011 when almost a quarter of young working age people were unemployed. Young adults in the labor market In the provided time period, youth unemployment was at its lowest rate in the third quarter of 2022, when it was 10.3 percent. Since then, there has been a noticeable uptick in youth unemployment, which was 14.8 percent towards the end of 2024. A more long-term trend among this age group is the increase in economic inactivity, with 40.8 percent of 16 to 24-year-old's not in work or actively looking for work in 2024. Although students or people in training account for a high share of this economic inactivity, there has also been a rise in the proportion of young adults who are not in education, employment or training (NEET), which reached a ten-year-high of 13.2 percent in late 2024. Unemployment up from low baseline in late 2024 In 2022, the UK labor market, had very low levels of unemployment along with a record number of job vacancies. Throughout 2023 and 2024, this very tight labor market began to loosen, although is still quite low by historic standards. One indicator that has stood out since the COVID-19 pandemic, however, has been the number of people economically inactive due to being on long-term sick leave, which reached 2.82 million in the first quarter of 2024, and has been the main reason for economic inactivity in the UK since late 2021.

Unemployment by age and duration (seasonally adjusted). These estimates are sourced from the Labour Force Survey, a survey of households. These are official statistics in development.

The youth unemployment rate for those aged between 16 and 24 in the United Kingdom was 15.3 percent in the third quarter of 2025, compared with 14.1 percent in the previous quarter. After falling to just 9.2 percent in July 2022, the youth unemployment rate has increased at pace and is almost as high as it was following the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Nevertheless, youth unemployment is lower than in the early 2010s, when youth unemployment reached a high of 22.5 percent in November 2011. Almost one million UK youth not in work or education In the fourth quarter of 2024, the number of people aged between 16 and 24 that were not in education, employment, or training (NEET) was 987,000, the highest figure in more than ten years. One of the main reasons for this increase has been the general rise in people being on long-term sick leave since the COVID-19 pandemic, which reached a peak of 2.8 million at the end of 2023. While older adults are still more likely to be on long-term sick, the number of younger workers on long-term sickness has increased more rapidly. In the ten years between 2014 and 2024, the number of 16 to 24-year-olds economically inactive for this reason increased from 138,000 to 271,000. Prospects for youth employment in 2025 Reversing the current trend of increasing youth inactivity is one of the main challenges facing the UK economy in 2025. It is currently unclear if the labor market is equipped to handle this issue, however. Job vacancies, while not at a particularly low level, have been falling for several months since peaking in 2022. UK businesses are also under pressure from an increase in the national insurance they must pay from April 2025 onwards, with taxation being the main external concern of UK businesses at the end of 2024. In this environment, it is uncertain if they will hire more staff, especially younger workers who have spent extended periods of time out of work.

This study uses the ARDL model and semi-macro data to conduct regression analysis on the relationship between immigrant share and unemployment rate and draws the following conclusions: First, overall, the increase of immigration will decrease the unemployment rate in the U.K. in the short-term; however, the long-term effect may be zero. The effect of immigration on the unemployment rate may vary subtly depending on the local economic development or population density. Specifically, in less economically developed or sparsely populated areas, an increase in the immigrant share may improve employment in the long term. Conversely, in regions with higher population density or RGDP, although immigration will improve employment in the short term, the long-term effects on employment are likely to be negative. The uploaded zip file includes the raw data folder as well as the data files for analysis. After executing the latter CSV file named post_2021_7 into EViews 10, the overall regression analysis of immigrants on the unemployment rates can be obtained by following the steps of the panel ARDL approach. The results of the analysis of the impact of immigrants on the unemployment rates in areas with lower RGDP, the impact of immigrants on the unemployment rates in areas with higher RGDP, the impact of immigrants on the unemployment rates in areas with low population density and the impact of immigrants on the unemployment rates in areas with high population density can be obtained by using the files named post_2021_7_red_rgdp_1_2, post_2021_7_green_rgdp_1_2, post_2021_7_red_pop_1_2 and post_2021_7_green_pop_1_2, separately.

The unemployment rate in the United Kingdom stands at 4.8 percent according to the latest data from . That reading shows an increase from the level of 4.7 percent in the previous month and an increase from the level of 4.1 percent in the same month of the previous year. The unemployment rate...

United Kingdom UK: Unemployment Rate: % Change data was reported at -8.472 % in Mar 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of -9.338 % for Dec 2017. United Kingdom UK: Unemployment Rate: % Change data is updated quarterly, averaging -3.261 % from Mar 1958 (Median) to Mar 2018, with 241 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 195.950 % in Jun 2009 and a record low of -39.339 % in Dec 1997. United Kingdom UK: Unemployment Rate: % Change data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by International Monetary Fund. The data is categorized under Global Database’s UK – Table UK.IMF.IFS: Labour Force, Employment and Unemployment: Quarterly.

Employment, unemployment and economic inactivity levels and rates by age group, UK, rolling three-monthly figures, seasonally adjusted. Labour Force Survey. These are official statistics in development.

EU UK: Unemployment Rate: sa: Male: Age 15 to 24 data was reported at 12.700 % in Apr 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of 12.600 % for Mar 2018. EU UK: Unemployment Rate: sa: Male: Age 15 to 24 data is updated monthly, averaging 16.150 % from Jan 1983 (Median) to Apr 2018, with 424 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 25.800 % in Jan 2012 and a record low of 10.500 % in Aug 1989. EU UK: Unemployment Rate: sa: Male: Age 15 to 24 data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Eurostat. The data is categorized under Global Database’s UK – Table UK.Eurostat: Unemployment Rate: Seasonally Adjusted.

United Kingdom Unemployment Rate: sa: England: South East data was reported at 3.682 % in Aug 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of 3.668 % for May 2018. United Kingdom Unemployment Rate: sa: England: South East data is updated quarterly, averaging 4.500 % from May 1992 (Median) to Aug 2018, with 106 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 8.500 % in Nov 1992 and a record low of 3.100 % in May 2001. United Kingdom Unemployment Rate: sa: England: South East data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Office for National Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United Kingdom – Table UK.G033: Unemployment Rate: By Region: Seasonally Adjusted.

The United Kingdom: Unemployment rate for males: The latest value from 2024 is 4.43 percent, an increase from 4.28 percent in 2023. In comparison, the world average is 6.29 percent, based on data from 176 countries. Historically, the average for the United Kingdom from 1991 to 2024 is 6.82 percent. The minimum value, 3.79 percent, was reached in 2019 while the maximum of 12.41 percent was recorded in 1993.

This release looks at the increase in unemployment during the recent economic downturn. Increases in unemployment will be compared across regions in the UK, age groups, gender and other characteristics. Claimant count data will also be included.

Source agency: Office for National Statistics

Designation: National Statistics

Language: English

Alternative title: Unemployment during the economic downturn

Model-based estimates of unemployment for local authorities and Parliamentary constituencies.

In 2025, the annual unemployment rate of the United Kingdom is expected to be 4.8 percent, compared with 4.3 percent in 2024. Unemployment is forecast to rise to 4.9 percent in 2026, gradually declining to 4.1 percent by 2030. Previous forecasts underestimated how high unemployment would be in 2025, with a rate of 4.1 percent predicted towards the end of 2024, which was revised upward to 4.5 percent the following March. Uptick in unemployment after falling to historic lows A common indicator of an economy’s relative health, the unemployment rate in the UK generally fell throughout most of the 2010s, after reaching 8.5 percent in late 2011. After a sudden increase in unemployment during the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a steep decline that lasted until August 2022, when the unemployment rate was just 3.5 percent. There was then a rise in unemployment from 2023 onwards, which continued throughout 2024 and into 2025. This has been matched by a fall in UK job vacancies, which peaked at 1.3 million in May 2022, but has been falling in most months since then, with approximately 816,000 vacancies in February 2025. Revisions to GDP and inflation for 2025 Since the global financial crisis of the late 2000s, and especially since the COVID-19 pandemic, the UK's economic growth has been poor, with the UK alternating between weak growth and slight contractions. For 2025, the UK economy is set to grow by just one percent, a downgrade from two percent predicted in late 2024. Inflation, which skyrocketed from late 2021 onwards, reached a peak of 11.1 percent in October 2022, and although down to more usual levels by 2024, is expected to rise in 2025, reaching around 3.7 percent by the second half of the year.

Youth Unemployment Rate in the United Kingdom increased to 12.70 percent in September from 12 percent in August of 2025. This dataset provides the latest reported value for - United Kingdom Youth Unemployment Rate - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.

EU UK: Unemployment Rate: sa: Age 15 to 24 data was reported at 11.700 % in Apr 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of 11.600 % for Mar 2018. EU UK: Unemployment Rate: sa: Age 15 to 24 data is updated monthly, averaging 14.450 % from Jan 1983 (Median) to Apr 2018, with 424 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 22.300 % in Jan 2012 and a record low of 9.700 % in Sep 1989. EU UK: Unemployment Rate: sa: Age 15 to 24 data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Eurostat. The data is categorized under Global Database’s UK – Table UK.Eurostat: Unemployment Rate: Seasonally Adjusted.

Claimant Count Change in the United Kingdom increased to 29 Thousand in October from 0.40 Thousand in September of 2025. This dataset provides the latest reported value for - United Kingdom Claimant Count Change - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.