Unemployment Rate in the United Kingdom increased to 4.80 percent in August from 4.70 percent in July 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.

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.

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.

In the second quarter of 2025, the unemployment rate in the United Kingdom was highest in England, where it was 4.8 percent, followed by Wales at 4.3 percent, Scotland at 3.8 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.

View monthly updates and historical trends for UK Unemployment Rate. from United Kingdom. Source: Office for National Statistics. Track economic data with…

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.

There were approximately 634,000 unemployed people aged between 16 and 24 in the United Kingdom in the second quarter of 2025, the most of any age group. During this provided time period, the youngest age group has consistently had the highest number of unemployed people.

Youth Unemployment Rate in the United Kingdom increased to 12 percent in August from 11.60 percent in July 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.

Unemployment numbers and rates for those aged 16 or over. The unemployed population consists of those people out of work, who are actively looking for work and are available to start immediately. Unemployed numbers and rates also shown for equalities groups, by age, sex, ethnic group, and disability. The data are taken from the Labour Force Survey and Annual Population Survey, produced by the Office for National Statistics. The data are produced monthly on a rolling quarterly basis. The month shown is the month the quarter ends on. The International Labour Organization defines unemployed people as: without a job, want a job, have actively sought work in the last 4 weeks and are available to start work in the next 2 weeks, or, out of work, have found a job and are waiting to start it in the next 2 weeks. The figures in this dataset are adjusted to compensate for seasonal variations in employment (seasonally adjusted). Data by equalities groups has a longer time lag and is only available quarterly from the Annual Population Survey, which is not seasonally adjusted. Useful links Click here for Regional labour market statistics from the Office for National Statistics. Click here for Labour market statistics from the Office for National Statistics. See here for GLA Economics' Labour Market Analysis. See here for Economic Inactivity statistics. See here for Employment rates. This dataset is one of the Greater London Authority's measures of Economic Fairness. Click here to find out more.

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.

Historical dataset showing U.K. youth unemployment rate by year from 1991 to 2024.

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

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.

As of the second quarter of 2025, the youth unemployment rate in the UK was highest in the East Midlands at 18.7 percent, compared with the UK average of 18.4 percent. As of this quarter, the South West had the lowest youth unemployment rate at just 9.1 percent.

United Kingdom UK: Unemployment Rate data was reported at 4.144 % in Mar 2018. This records a decrease from the previous number of 4.241 % for Dec 2017. United Kingdom UK: Unemployment Rate data is updated quarterly, averaging 4.527 % from Mar 1957 (Median) to Mar 2018, with 245 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 12.033 % in Dec 1982 and a record low of 1.200 % in Jun 1966. United Kingdom UK: Unemployment Rate 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: Quarterly.

This publication will complement the main Office for National Statistics (ONS) regional labour market publication. The estimates are compiled by ONS and will be based on the rolling quarterly data from the Labour Force Survey. It will focus on the latest available youth unemployment data covering the period August - October 2011 and look at the change over the past year. A time series of data back to January - March 2008 will also be published. Source agency: Scottish Government Designation: Official Statistics not designated as National Statistics Language: English Alternative title: Youth Unemployment in Scotland

Unemployment numbers and rates for those aged 16 or over. The unemployed population consists of those people out of work, who are actively looking for work and are available to start immediately.

Unemployed numbers and rates also shown for equalities groups, by age, sex, ethnic group, and disability.

The data are taken from the Labour Force Survey and Annual Population Survey, produced by the Office for National Statistics.

The data are produced monthly on a rolling quarterly basis. The month shown is the month the quarter ends on.

The International Labour Organization defines unemployed people as: without a job, want a job, have actively sought work in the last 4 weeks and are available to start work in the next 2 weeks, or, out of work, have found a job and are waiting to start it in the next 2 weeks.

The figures in this dataset are adjusted to compensate for seasonal variations in employment (seasonally adjusted).

Data by equalities groups has a longer time lag and is only available quarterly from the Annual Population Survey, which is not seasonally adjusted.

Useful links

Click here for Regional labour market statistics from the Office for National Statistics.

Click here for Labour market statistics from the Office for National Statistics.

See here for GLA Economics' Labour Market Analysis.

See here for Economic Inactivity statistics.

See here for Employment rates.

This dataset is one of the Greater London Authority's measures of Economic Fairness. Click here to find out more.

Graph and download economic data for Infra-Annual Labor Statistics: Monthly Unemployment Rate Total: 15 Years or over for United Kingdom (LRHUTTTTGBM156S) from Jan 1983 to May 2025 about harmonized, United Kingdom, persons, unemployment, and rate.

View monthly updates and historical trends for UK Unemployment Rate: Aged 16-24. from United Kingdom. Source: Office for National Statistics. Track econom…