Ireland vs United Kingdom: Labour force participation rates by educational attainment level
Ireland
70.8%
in 2026
United Kingdom
69.7%
in 2020
Ireland rank
14th
United Kingdom rank
16th
Labour force participation rates by educational attainment level over time
- Ireland
- United Kingdom
How they compare
Ireland currently reports 70.8% against 69.7% in United Kingdom, a difference of 1.1%.
The two have swapped places 2 times across 23 shared years of data; in 1998 it was United Kingdom ahead.
Ireland ranks 14th and United Kingdom ranks 16th of 45 countries.
United Kingdom has averaged higher in every one of the 4 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Ireland | United Kingdom | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 61.4% | 67.6% | 6.2% | United Kingdom |
| 2000s | 65.9% | 68.2% | 2.4% | United Kingdom |
| 2010s | 66.3% | 69.1% | 2.8% | United Kingdom |
| 2020s | 66.0% | 69.7% | 3.7% | United Kingdom |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher labour force participation rates by educational attainment level, Ireland or United Kingdom?
- Ireland, at 70.8% against 69.7% in United Kingdom as of 2026.
- What is the difference in labour force participation rates by educational attainment level between Ireland and United Kingdom?
- 1.1%, with Ireland ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Ireland and United Kingdom?
- 23 years are reported by both, from 1998 to 2020.
- How do Ireland and United Kingdom rank globally for labour force participation rates by educational attainment level?
- Ireland ranks 14th and United Kingdom ranks 16th of 45 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Eurostat, published as Labour force participation rates by educational attainment level - quarterly data. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.