There were over 34.2 million people employed in the United Kingdom in the three months to July 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 that 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.

Employment by industry and sex, UK, published quarterly, non-seasonally adjusted. Labour Force Survey. These are official statistics in development.

There were estimated to be over 37 million workforce jobs in the United Kingdom's economy as of the first quarter of 2025, compared with 36.8 million in the same quarter of 2024.

Labor force, total in United Kingdom was reported at 35358530 in 2024, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. United Kingdom - Labor force, total - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on September of 2025.

Annual data on size and growth within the UK non-financial business sectors, as measured by the Annual Business Survey, broken down by employment size-bands.

In 2024, large businesses in the United Kingdom that individually employed 1,000 or more workers collectively employed around 8.2 million people.

Employment levels and rates by country of birth and nationality, UK, published quarterly, non-seasonally adjusted. Labour Force Survey. These are official statistics in development.

In 2022, there were approximately *** million people employed by businesses in the health & social work services sector in the United Kingdom, with ******* people employed in businesses that employed *** or more people.

Experimental labour market estimates using administrative data to produce adjusted UK employment, unemployment and economic inactivity measures, seasonally adjusted. Includes a breakdown by countries and regions of the UK.

Employment Rate in the United Kingdom decreased to 75.20 percent in July from 75.30 percent in June of 2025. This dataset provides - United Kingdom Employment Rate- actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

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.

39.8% of workers from the Indian ethnic group were in 'professional' jobs in 2021 – the highest percentage out of all ethnic groups in this role.

In the second quarter of 2025, there were approximately 28 million people working in the private sector of the United Kingdom, compared with 21.9 million in 2000.

This statistic illustrates the share of employees using computers with internet access at work in the United Kingdom (UK) 2007 to 2019, by size of business. In 2019, 59.7 percent of employees working at a firm with 1,000 or more employees used computers with internet access.

This dataset has now been discontinued following a user consultation. However figures for employment by occupation, sourced from our Annual Population Survey are available on our NOMIS website.

There were around 6.17 million people employed in the public sector in the United Kingdom as of the second quarter of 2025, compared with 6.46 million in late 2009, which was the peak for public sector employment during the provided time period.

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

Key information about United Kingdom Labour Force Participation Rate

• United Kingdom Labour Force Participation Rate dropped to 62.8 % in Oct 2023, compared with 63.0 % in the previous month.
• UK Labour Force Participation Rate is updated monthly, available from Aug 2022 to Oct 2023, with an average rate of 63.1 % .
• The data reached the an all-time high of 63.4 % in Apr 2023 and a record low of 62.8 % in Aug 2022.
• UK Labour Force Participation Rate is reported by reported by Office for National Statistics.
• In the latest reports, UK Population reached 67.0 million people in Dec 2021.
• Unemployment Rate of UK dropped to 3.9 % in Oct 2023.
• The country's Monthly Earnings stood at 3,312.3 USD in Nov 2023.

Labour shortages are hitting UK industries, even as unemployment stays low. Explore the disconnect between workforce headlines and reality, and what it means for business leaders.