South Africa vs United Kingdom: Share of workers in vulnerable employment
South Africa
11.7%
in 2025
United Kingdom
11.5%
in 2025
South Africa rank
142nd
United Kingdom rank
143rd
Share of workers in vulnerable employment over time
- South Africa
- United Kingdom
How they compare
South Africa currently reports 11.7% against 11.5% in United Kingdom, a difference of 0.2%.
The two have swapped places 2 times across 35 shared years of data; in 1991 it was South Africa ahead.
South Africa ranks 142nd and United Kingdom ranks 143rd of 186 countries.
Across the 4 decades both report, South Africa averaged higher in 2 and United Kingdom in 2.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | South Africa | United Kingdom | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 11.6% | 10.8% | 0.9% | South Africa |
| 2000s | 10.8% | 10.1% | 0.7% | South Africa |
| 2010s | 9.9% | 12.4% | 2.5% | United Kingdom |
| 2020s | 11.2% | 11.8% | 0.6% | United Kingdom |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher share of workers in vulnerable employment, South Africa or United Kingdom?
- South Africa, at 11.7% against 11.5% in United Kingdom as of 2025.
- What is the difference in share of workers in vulnerable employment between South Africa and United Kingdom?
- 0.2%, with South Africa ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for South Africa and United Kingdom?
- 35 years are reported by both, from 1991 to 2025.
- How do South Africa and United Kingdom rank globally for share of workers in vulnerable employment?
- South Africa ranks 142nd and United Kingdom ranks 143rd of 186 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- International Labour Organization (ILOEST/ILOSTAT) and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as Share of workers in vulnerable employment. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Share of employed population who are working as independent own-account workers (self-employed without staff), or contributing family workers (self-employed in a household business or farm).