There were around 6.14 million people employed in the public sector in the United Kingdom as of the fourth quarter of 2024, compared with 6.46 million in late 2009, which was the peak for public sector employment during the provided time period.

Quarterly estimates of UK and regional public sector employment, made up of central government, local government, and public corporations.

In the fourth quarter of 2024, there were approximately 27.8 million people working in the private sector of the United Kingdom, compared with 21.9 million in 2000.

As of the second quarter of 2023, approximately 17.3 percent of the UK workforce was employed in the country's public sector. Among UK countries and English regions, Northern Ireland had the highest share of public sector employment at 26.8 percent, with London having the lowest share at 15.2 percent.

Seasonally adjusted and non-seasonally adjusted quarterly time series of UK public sector employment, containing the latest estimates.

Public and private sector employment, UK, published quarterly, seasonally adjusted.

The National Health Service (NHS) had around 2.05 million employees as of the fourth quarter of 2024, making it the largest public sector employer in the United Kingdom. In the same quarter, 1.66 million people worked in education, the second-largest industry in terms of public sector employees.

There were around 548,000 people working as in the civil service in the United Kingdom as of the fourth quarter of 2024. Between 2011 and 2016, the number of civil servants fell significantly, with a recent uptick noticeable from 2018 onwards.

As of the fourth quarter of 2024, there were approximately 5.1 million women employed in the public sector of the United Kingdom, compared with 2.7 million men.

United Kingdom Employment: Public Sector: Construction data was reported at 32.000 Person th in Jun 2018. This stayed constant from the previous number of 32.000 Person th for Mar 2018. United Kingdom Employment: Public Sector: Construction data is updated quarterly, averaging 53.000 Person th from Mar 1999 (Median) to Jun 2018, with 78 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 112.000 Person th in Sep 1999 and a record low of 32.000 Person th in Jun 2018. United Kingdom Employment: Public Sector: Construction 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.G032: Employment: Public Sector.

United Kingdom Employment: Public Sector: Public Corporations data was reported at 184.000 Person th in Jun 2018. This records a decrease from the previous number of 198.000 Person th for Mar 2018. United Kingdom Employment: Public Sector: Public Corporations data is updated quarterly, averaging 387.500 Person th from Mar 1999 (Median) to Jun 2018, with 78 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 724.000 Person th in Mar 2009 and a record low of 184.000 Person th in Jun 2018. United Kingdom Employment: Public Sector: Public Corporations 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.G032: Employment: Public Sector.

United Kingdom Employment: Public Sector: FT: Public Corporations data was reported at 185.000 Person th in Mar 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of 184.000 Person th for Dec 2017. United Kingdom Employment: Public Sector: FT: Public Corporations data is updated quarterly, averaging 365.000 Person th from Mar 1999 (Median) to Mar 2018, with 77 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 689.000 Person th in Dec 2008 and a record low of 184.000 Person th in Dec 2017. United Kingdom Employment: Public Sector: FT: Public Corporations 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.G032: Employment: Public Sector.

United Kingdom Employment: Public Sector: Public Admin & Defence: Public Admin data was reported at 1,030.000 Person th in Jun 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of 1,025.000 Person th for Mar 2018. United Kingdom Employment: Public Sector: Public Admin & Defence: Public Admin data is updated quarterly, averaging 1,181.000 Person th from Mar 1999 (Median) to Jun 2018, with 78 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1,287.000 Person th in Jun 2005 and a record low of 1,002.000 Person th in Sep 2016. United Kingdom Employment: Public Sector: Public Admin & Defence: Public Admin 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.G032: Employment: Public Sector.

United Kingdom Employment: Public Sector: FT: Other data was reported at 432.000 Person th in Jun 2018. This records a decrease from the previous number of 439.000 Person th for Mar 2018. United Kingdom Employment: Public Sector: FT: Other data is updated quarterly, averaging 661.500 Person th from Mar 1999 (Median) to Jun 2018, with 78 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 975.000 Person th in Dec 2008 and a record low of 432.000 Person th in Jun 2018. United Kingdom Employment: Public Sector: FT: Other 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.G032: Employment: Public Sector.

The preferred souce of public sector employment data is the ONS National Statistics of Public Sector Employment. This provides employment estimates at national and regional level based on public sector returns and is available from the ONS website. Where data is required for GB below regional level these Annual Business Inquiry (ABI) employee jobs estimates can be used. This data provides estimates of the level of public and private sector employee jobs by Local Authority and Travel to Work area

Source agency: Business, Innovation and Skills

Designation: Official Statistics not designated as National Statistics

Language: English

Alternative title: Local authority public and private employee jobs

United Kingdom Employment: Public Sector: FT: Education data was reported at 1,111.000 Person th in Jun 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of 1,108.000 Person th for Mar 2018. United Kingdom Employment: Public Sector: FT: Education data is updated quarterly, averaging 1,111.000 Person th from Mar 1999 (Median) to Jun 2018, with 78 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1,210.000 Person th in Mar 2012 and a record low of 944.000 Person th in Sep 1999. United Kingdom Employment: Public Sector: FT: Education 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.G032: Employment: Public Sector.

United Kingdom Employment: Public Sector: FT: Health & Social Work: National Health data was reported at 1,439.000 Person th in Jun 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of 1,434.000 Person th for Mar 2018. United Kingdom Employment: Public Sector: FT: Health & Social Work: National Health data is updated quarterly, averaging 1,269.500 Person th from Mar 1999 (Median) to Jun 2018, with 78 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1,439.000 Person th in Jun 2018 and a record low of 967.000 Person th in Mar 1999. United Kingdom Employment: Public Sector: FT: Health & Social Work: National Health 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.G032: Employment: Public Sector.

Annual estimates of paid hours worked and earnings for UK employees by sex, and full-time and part-time, by public and private sector, and non-profit bodies and mutual associations.

As of the fourth quarter of 2024, there were approximately 11.2 million women employed in the private sector of the United Kingdom, compared with 14.7 million men.