The unemployment rate in Northern Ireland was 2.4 percent in the third quarter of 2025, unchannged from the previous quarter.

As of the second quarter of 2025, the unemployment rate for men in Northern Ireland was 2.6 percent, while for women it was 2.2 percent.

As of the third quarter of 2025, the youth unemployment rate of Northern Ireland was 7.8 percent, compared with 10.6 percent in the previous quarter.

United Kingdom Unemployment Rate: sa: Northern Ireland data was reported at 3.761 % in May 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of 3.147 % for Feb 2018. United Kingdom Unemployment Rate: sa: Northern Ireland data is updated quarterly, averaging 6.600 % from May 1992 (Median) to May 2018, with 105 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 12.800 % in May 1993 and a record low of 3.147 % in Feb 2018. United Kingdom Unemployment Rate: sa: Northern Ireland 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.

In the second half of the 20th century, unemployment rates in Northern Ireland were much higher than elsewhere in the United Kingdom. A large part of this was due to the violence of the Troubles, which dissuaded public investment, foreign investment, and tourism in Northern Ireland. In most Western countries during this period, there was a transition from employment in agriculture and manufacturing to service industries, but this lack of investment in Northern Ireland deprived its workforce of opportunities in these areas, which caused unemployment to grow in later decades. Today, Northern Ireland often has the lowest unemployment rate of any region in the UK; however, this may be misleading, as it generally has the highest rate of economically inactivity, which includes long-term unemployed persons. When looking at unemployment rates in the listed urban areas, majority-Catholic towns such as Strabane or Cookstown had much higher levels than majority-Protestant towns such as Ballymena or Craigavon. This was reflective of factors such as employment discrimination, uneven distribution of public investment by area, and Protestants having greater access to higher education.

United Kingdom Unemployment Rate: sa: Claimant Count: Northern Ireland: Female data was reported at 2.500 % in Oct 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of 2.400 % for Sep 2018. United Kingdom Unemployment Rate: sa: Claimant Count: Northern Ireland: Female data is updated monthly, averaging 4.400 % from Apr 1974 (Median) to Oct 2018, with 535 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 11.600 % in Nov 1986 and a record low of 1.300 % in Mar 2008. United Kingdom Unemployment Rate: sa: Claimant Count: Northern Ireland: Female 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.G012: Labour Force: Unemployment Claimant Count: Northern Ireland.

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.

United Kingdom Unemployment Rate: sa: Claimant Count: Northern Ireland data was reported at 3.200 % in Oct 2018. This stayed constant from the previous number of 3.200 % for Sep 2018. United Kingdom Unemployment Rate: sa: Claimant Count: Northern Ireland data is updated monthly, averaging 7.000 % from Jan 1971 (Median) to Oct 2018, with 574 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 17.100 % in Dec 1986 and a record low of 2.600 % in Mar 2008. United Kingdom Unemployment Rate: sa: Claimant Count: Northern Ireland 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.G012: Labour Force: Unemployment Claimant Count: Northern Ireland.

This table provides Census 2021 estimates that classify people by Economic activity by Religion (8 categories) for Northern Ireland. The table contains 112 counts.

The census collected information on the usually resident population of Northern Ireland on census day (21 March 2021). Initial contact letters or questionnaire packs were delivered to every household and communal establishment, and residents were asked to complete online or return the questionnaire with information as correct on census day. Special arrangements were made to enumerate special groups such as students, members of the Travellers Community, HM Forces personnel etc. The Census Coverage Survey (an independent doorstep survey) followed between 12 May and 29 June 2021 and was used to adjust the census counts for under-enumeration.

'Religion' indicates religion, religious denomination or body. 'Catholic' includes those who gave their current religion as Catholic or Roman Catholic.

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Statistics on women in Northern Ireland, labour market, childcare provision, earnings.

Source agency: Finance and Personnel (Northern Ireland)

Designation: National Statistics

Language: English

Alternative title: Women in Northern Ireland

Labour Market Statistics for Northern Ireland (employment, unemployment). Source agency: Enterprise, Trade and Investment (Northern Ireland) Designation: National Statistics Language: English Alternative title: Labour Force Survey Local Area Database (Northern Ireland)

Labour market indicators for Northern Ireland, including employment, unemployment, economic inactivity, workers' hours, jobs and Claimant Count, rolling three-monthly figures published monthly.

Labour Market Statistics for Northern Ireland (employment, unemployment, earnings). Source agency: Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency Designation: National Statistics Language: English Alternative title: Northern Ireland Labour Market Report

Labour Market Statistics for Northern Ireland (employment, unemployment).

Source agency: Enterprise, Trade and Investment (Northern Ireland)

Designation: National Statistics

Language: English

Alternative title: Labour Market Statistics Quarterly Supplement

Socio-economic inequalities between Northern Ireland's Catholic and Protestant communities in the 1970s were not only reflected in significant differences in unemployment rates, but also in job types. For example, Catholics were more likely to be employed in manual jobs, whereas Protestants were much more likely to have non-manual, so-called "white collar" jobs. This was due to a number of factors, particularly employment discrimination, but also greater access to higher education among Protestants, and a higher concentration of white-collar job opportunities in Protestant areas.

The economic landscape of the United Kingdom has been significantly shaped by the intertwined issues of Brexit, COVID-19, and their interconnected impacts. Despite the country’s robust and diverse economy, the disruptions caused by Brexit and the COVID-19 pandemic have created uncertainty and upheaval for both businesses and individuals. Recognizing the magnitude of these challenges, academic literature has directed its attention toward conducting immediate research in this crucial area. This study sets out to investigate key economic factors that have influenced various sectors of the UK economy and have broader economic implications within the context of Brexit and COVID-19. The factors under scrutiny include the unemployment rate, GDP index, earnings, and trade. To accomplish this, a range of data analysis tools and techniques were employed, including the Box-Jenkins method, neural network modeling, Google Trend analysis, and Twitter-sentiment analysis. The analysis encompassed different periods: pre-Brexit (2011-2016), Brexit (2016-2020), the COVID-19 period, and post-Brexit (2020-2021). The findings of the analysis offer intriguing insights spanning the past decade. For instance, the unemployment rate displayed a downward trend until 2020 but experienced a spike in 2021, persisting for a six-month period. Meanwhile, total earnings per week exhibited a gradual increase over time, and the GDP index demonstrated an upward trajectory until 2020 but declined during the COVID-19 period. Notably, trade experienced the most significant decline following both Brexit and the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, the impact of these events exhibited variations across the UK’s four regions and twelve industries. Wales and Northern Ireland emerged as the regions most affected by Brexit and COVID-19, with industries such as accommodation, construction, and wholesale trade particularly impacted in terms of earnings and employment levels. Conversely, industries such as finance, science, and health demonstrated an increased contribution to the UK’s total GDP in the post-Brexit period, indicating some positive outcomes. It is worth highlighting that the impact of these economic factors was more pronounced on men than on women. Among all the variables analyzed, trade suffered the most severe consequences in the UK. By early 2021, the macroeconomic situation in the country was characterized by a simple dynamic: economic demand rebounded at a faster pace than supply, leading to shortages, bottlenecks, and inflation. The findings of this research carry significant value for the UK government and businesses, empowering them to adapt and innovate based on forecasts to navigate the challenges posed by Brexit and COVID-19. By doing so, they can promote long-term economic growth and effectively address the disruptions caused by these interrelated issues.

In Northern Ireland in the 1960s, widespread inequalities between the Catholic and Protestant communities led to a civil rights campaign, which later developed into a 30-year conflict known as the Troubles. Although Protestants made up around two-thirds of the north's population, they also had disproportionate control of the government and economy. As a result, the unemployment rate among Catholics was around 2.5 times higher than that of Protestants in the early-70s. As the conflict developed, high unemployment among young Catholic men in particular was a major factor in the growth of Republican paramilitary organizations such as the Irish Republican Army. The Fair Employment Act of 1976 sought to undo this inequality by promoting equal opportunities and prohibiting religious discrimination; however, unemployment grew even higher in the 1980s, with over a third of Catholic men unemployed by 1987.

United Kingdom Unemployment: sa: Claimant Count: Northern Ireland: Female data was reported at 10.600 Person th in Oct 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of 10.300 Person th for Sep 2018. United Kingdom Unemployment: sa: Claimant Count: Northern Ireland: Female data is updated monthly, averaging 13.300 Person th from Mar 1986 (Median) to Oct 2018, with 392 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 33.100 Person th in Oct 1986 and a record low of 5.500 Person th in Mar 2008. United Kingdom Unemployment: sa: Claimant Count: Northern Ireland: Female 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.G012: Labour Force: Unemployment Claimant Count: Northern Ireland.

United Kingdom Unemployment: sa: Claimant Count: Northern Ireland: Male data was reported at 18.900 Person th in Oct 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of 18.800 Person th for Sep 2018. United Kingdom Unemployment: sa: Claimant Count: Northern Ireland: Male data is updated monthly, averaging 42.800 Person th from Mar 1986 (Median) to Oct 2018, with 392 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 90.400 Person th in Jan 1987 and a record low of 17.900 Person th in Nov 2007. United Kingdom Unemployment: sa: Claimant Count: Northern Ireland: Male 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.G012: Labour Force: Unemployment Claimant Count: Northern Ireland.