Unemployment Rate in the United Kingdom remained unchanged at 4.40 percent in January. 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.

The unemployment rate of the United Kingdom was 4.4 percent in January 2025, unchanged from the previous month. Before the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic, the UK had relatively low levels of unemployment, comparable with the mid-1970s. 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.

The unemployment rate in England was 4.5 percent in the fourth quarter of 2024, compared with 4.4 percent in the previous quarter.

In the fourth quarter of 2024, the unemployment rate in the United Kingdom was highest in Wales, where it was 5.4 percent, followed by England at 4.5 percent, Scotland at 3.8 percent, and 1.6 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 four percent at the start of 2024, with this falling to 2.5 percent by the end of the year.

Unemployment by previous industrial sector. These estimates are sourced from the Labour Force Survey, a survey of households. These are official statistics in development.

Youth Unemployment Rate in the United Kingdom increased to 12.90 percent in January from 12.80 percent in December of 2024. 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.

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.

Youth unemployment refers to the share of the labor force ages 15-24 without work but available for and seeking employment.

Graph and download economic data for Infra-Annual Labor Statistics: Unemployment Rate Male: From 15 to 74 Years for United Kingdom (LRUN74MAGBA156N) from 2000 to 2023 about 15 to 74 years, males, United Kingdom, unemployment, and rate.

Economic activity rates, employment rates and unemployment rates broken down by ethnic group. The economically active population comprises those who are either employed or unemployed and excludes those who are economically inactive. The data are taken from the Annual Population Survey (APS), produced by the Office for National Statistics.

As of the fourth quarter of 2024, the youth unemployment rate in the UK was highest in London at 19.3 percent, compared with the UK average of 14.8 percent. As of this quarter, Northern Ireland had the lowest youth unemployment rate at just 3.5 percent.

United Kingdom Unemployment Rate: sa: England: East of England data was reported at 3.168 % in Aug 2018. This records a decrease from the previous number of 3.182 % for May 2018. United Kingdom Unemployment Rate: sa: England: East of England data is updated quarterly, averaging 4.850 % from May 1992 (Median) to Aug 2018, with 106 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 9.300 % in May 1993 and a record low of 3.168 % in Aug 2018. United Kingdom Unemployment Rate: sa: England: East of England 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.

United Kingdom UK: Unemployment Rate: % Change data was reported at -10.357 % in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of -8.703 % for 2016. United Kingdom UK: Unemployment Rate: % Change data is updated yearly, averaging -1.107 % from Dec 1952 (Median) to 2017, with 66 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 160.470 % in 2009 and a record low of -34.366 % in 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: Annual.

Graph and download economic data for Infra-Annual Labor Statistics: Monthly Unemployment Rate Total: 15 Years or over for United Kingdom (LRHUTTTTGBM156N) from Jan 1983 to Nov 2024 about harmonized, United Kingdom, unemployment, persons, and rate.

United Kingdom Unemployment Rate: sa: England: East Midlands data was reported at 4.384 % in Aug 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of 4.129 % for May 2018. United Kingdom Unemployment Rate: sa: England: East Midlands data is updated quarterly, averaging 5.400 % from May 1992 (Median) to Aug 2018, with 106 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 9.300 % in Feb 1993 and a record low of 3.940 % in Feb 2017. United Kingdom Unemployment Rate: sa: England: East Midlands data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Office for National Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s UK – Table UK.G033: Unemployment Rate: By Region: Seasonally Adjusted.

United Kingdom Unemployment Rate: sa: England: London data was reported at 4.667 % in Aug 2018. This records a decrease from the previous number of 4.876 % for May 2018. United Kingdom Unemployment Rate: sa: England: London data is updated quarterly, averaging 7.600 % from May 1992 (Median) to Aug 2018, with 106 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 14.300 % in Nov 1993 and a record low of 4.667 % in Aug 2018. United Kingdom Unemployment Rate: sa: England: London 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.

Key information about UK Unemployment Rate

• UK Unemployment Rate dropped to 3.93% in Oct 2023, from the previously reported figure of 3.95% in Sep 2023.
• UK Unemployment Rate is updated monthly, available from Aug 2022 to Oct 2023, with an average rate of 3.93%.
• The data reached an all-time high of 4.33% in Jun 2023 and a record low of 3.75% in Aug 2022.
• The data is reported by reported by Office for National Statistics.
• In the latest reports, UK Population reached 67.03 million people in Dec 2021.

Unemployment by age and sex for UK regions and countries, rolling three-monthly figures published monthly, not seasonally adjusted. Labour Force Survey.

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.

The youth unemployment rate for those aged between 16 and 24 in the United Kingdom was 14.5 percent in January 2025, compared with 14.7 percent in the previous month. 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.