Employment Rate in the United Kingdom decreased to 75 percent in September from 75.10 percent in August of 2025. This dataset provides - United Kingdom Employment Rate- actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

In the 3rd quarter of 2025, the employment rate in the United Kingdom was 75 percent, down from 75.3 percent in the previous quarter. After almost dropping to 70.1 percent in 2011, the employment rate in the United Kingdom started to climb at a relatively fast pace, peaking in early 2020. Due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, however, employment declined to 74.6 percent by January 2021. Although not quite at pre-pandemic levels, the employment rate has since recovered. Labor market trouble in 2025? Although unemployment in the UK spiked at 5.3 percent in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, it fell throughout most of 2022, to just 3.6 percent in August 2022. Around that time, the number of job vacancies in the UK was also at quite high levels, reaching a peak of 1.3 million by May 2022. The strong labor market put employees in quite a strong position, perhaps encouraging the high number of resignations that took place around that time. Since 2023, however, the previously hot labor market has cooled, with unemployment reaching 4.6 percent in April 2025 and job vacancies falling to a four-year low of 736,000 in May 2025. Furthermore, the number of employees on UK payrolls has fallen by 227,500 in the first five months of the year, indicating that 2025 will be a tough one for the labor market. Headline economic measures revised in early 2025 Along with the unemployment rate, the UK's inflation rate is also expected to be higher than initially thought in 2025, reaching a rate of 3.2 percent for the year. The economy will also grow at a slower pace of one percent rather than the initial prediction of two percent. Though these negative trends are not expected to continue in the long term, the current government has already expended significant political capital on unpopular decisions, such as the cutting of Winter Fuel Payments to pensioners in 2024. As of June 2025, they are almost as unpopular as the previous government, with a net approval rating of -52 percent.

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.

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.

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

As of the third quarter of 2025, South West England had the highest rate of employment in the United Kingdom at 79.5 percent. By contrast, North East England had the lowest employment rate at 69 percent.

Graph and download economic data for Infra-Annual Labor Statistics: Employment Rate Total: From 25 to 54 Years for United Kingdom (LREM25TTGBQ156S) from Q2 1999 to Q3 2025 about 25 to 54 years, employment-population ratio, United Kingdom, population, employment, and rate.

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.

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.

As of the third quarter of 2025, the employment rate of England stood at 75.4 percent, the highest employment rate of the four countries of the United Kingdom. By contrast, Northern Ireland had the lowest employment rate, at 71.4 percent.

There were almost 34.2 million people employed in the United Kingdom in the three months to September 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.

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

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.

Graph and download economic data for Infra-Annual Labor Statistics: Employment Total: 15 Years or over for United Kingdom (LFEMTTTTGBQ647S) from Q1 1971 to Q3 2025 about 15 years +, United Kingdom, and employment.

United Kingdom Employment Rate: sa: Male: Aged >65 data was reported at 13.444 % in May 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of 13.258 % for Apr 2018. United Kingdom Employment Rate: sa: Male: Aged >65 data is updated monthly, averaging 8.836 % from Apr 1992 (Median) to May 2018, with 314 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 14.435 % in Aug 2016 and a record low of 6.854 % in Feb 2001. United Kingdom Employment Rate: sa: Male: Aged >65 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.G008: Labour Force: Employment Rate.

Key information about United Kingdom Labour Force Participation Rate

• United Kingdom Labour Force Participation Rate remained the same rate at 63.9 % in Aug 2025, compared with 63.9 % in the previous month.
• UK Labour Force Participation Rate is updated monthly, available from Jan 2011 to Aug 2025, with an average rate of 63.9 % .
• The data reached the an all-time high of 64.6 % in Jan 2020 and a record low of 62.7 % in Dec 2023.
• UK Labour Force Participation Rate is reported by reported by Office for National Statistics.
• In the latest reports, UK Population reached 69.5 million people in Dec 2025.
• Unemployment Rate of UK increased to 5.0 % in Aug 2025.
• The country's Monthly Earnings stood at 3,960.0 USD in Sep 2025.

United Kingdom Employment Rate: sa: Aged 35 to 49 data was reported at 85.010 % in Aug 2018. This records a decrease from the previous number of 85.034 % for Jul 2018. United Kingdom Employment Rate: sa: Aged 35 to 49 data is updated monthly, averaging 81.878 % from Apr 1992 (Median) to Aug 2018, with 317 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 85.299 % in Feb 2018 and a record low of 78.780 % in Mar 1993. United Kingdom Employment Rate: sa: Aged 35 to 49 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.G008: Labour Force: Employment Rate.

United Kingdom Employment Rate: sa: Aged 18 to 24 data was reported at 62.026 % in Aug 2018. This records a decrease from the previous number of 62.258 % for Jul 2018. United Kingdom Employment Rate: sa: Aged 18 to 24 data is updated monthly, averaging 64.520 % from Apr 1992 (Median) to Aug 2018, with 317 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 68.103 % in Apr 2002 and a record low of 55.957 % in Dec 2011. United Kingdom Employment Rate: sa: Aged 18 to 24 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.G008: Labour Force: Employment Rate.

United Kingdom Employment Rate: sa: Aged 25 to 34 data was reported at 83.379 % in Aug 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of 83.244 % for Jul 2018. United Kingdom Employment Rate: sa: Aged 25 to 34 data is updated monthly, averaging 79.515 % from Apr 1992 (Median) to Aug 2018, with 317 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 83.819 % in Dec 2017 and a record low of 73.371 % in Nov 1992. United Kingdom Employment Rate: sa: Aged 25 to 34 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.G008: Labour Force: Employment Rate.

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