Annual population and employment, national concept — Total employment in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Annual population and employment, national concept — Total employment was 34,160 Persons in 2025. ▲ Rising
Annual population and employment, national concept — Total employment in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 1971–2025
Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Measured in Persons.
Analysis
The most recent figure for annual population and employment, national concept — total employment in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is 34,160 Persons, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 55 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.6% on the previous year and up 9.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual population and employment, national concept — total employment in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland peaked at 34,160 Persons in 2025 and was at its lowest, 23,775 Persons, in 1983.
That places United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 5th out of 36 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 55 years of available data.
Annual population and employment, national concept — Total employment in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, year by year
| Year | Persons | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 24,559 Persons | — |
| 1972 | 24,539 Persons | -0.1% |
| 1973 | 24,986 Persons | +1.8% |
| 1974 | 24,985 Persons | -0.0% |
| 1975 | 24,965 Persons | -0.1% |
| 1976 | 24,788 Persons | -0.7% |
| 1977 | 24,799 Persons | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 24,886 Persons | +0.4% |
| 1979 | 25,136 Persons | +1.0% |
| 1980 | 25,086 Persons | -0.2% |
| 1981 | 24,430 Persons | -2.6% |
| 1982 | 23,951 Persons | -2.0% |
| 1983 | 23,775 Persons | -0.7% |
| 1984 | 23,974 Persons | +0.8% |
| 1985 | 24,324 Persons | +1.5% |
| 1986 | 24,452 Persons | +0.5% |
| 1987 | 24,802 Persons | +1.4% |
| 1988 | 25,696 Persons | +3.6% |
| 1989 | 26,502 Persons | +3.1% |
| 1990 | 26,717 Persons | +0.8% |
| 1991 | 26,154 Persons | -2.1% |
| 1992 | 25,582 Persons | -2.2% |
| 1993 | 25,299 Persons | -1.1% |
| 1994 | 25,529 Persons | +0.9% |
| 1995 | 25,814 Persons | +1.1% |
| 1996 | 26,056 Persons | +0.9% |
| 1997 | 26,523 Persons | +1.8% |
| 1998 | 26,794 Persons | +1.0% |
| 1999 | 27,167 Persons | +1.4% |
| 2000 | 27,484 Persons | +1.2% |
| 2001 | 27,712 Persons | +0.8% |
| 2002 | 27,944 Persons | +0.8% |
| 2003 | 28,223 Persons | +1.0% |
| 2004 | 28,533 Persons | +1.1% |
| 2005 | 28,853 Persons | +1.1% |
| 2006 | 29,141 Persons | +1.0% |
| 2007 | 29,379 Persons | +0.8% |
| 2008 | 29,628 Persons | +0.8% |
| 2009 | 29,154 Persons | -1.6% |
| 2010 | 29,227 Persons | +0.3% |
| 2011 | 29,374 Persons | +0.5% |
| 2012 | 29,694 Persons | +1.1% |
| 2013 | 30,042 Persons | +1.2% |
| 2014 | 30,752 Persons | +2.4% |
| 2015 | 31,285 Persons | +1.7% |
| 2016 | 31,746 Persons | +1.5% |
| 2017 | 32,060 Persons | +1.0% |
| 2018 | 32,443 Persons | +1.2% |
| 2019 | 32,919 Persons | +1.5% |
| 2020 | 32,555 Persons | -1.1% |
| 2021 | 32,552 Persons | -0.0% |
| 2022 | 32,956 Persons | +1.2% |
| 2023 | 33,349 Persons | +1.2% |
| 2024 | 33,613 Persons | +0.8% |
| 2025 | 34,160 Persons | +1.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 24,849 Persons | 24,539 Persons | 25,136 Persons | 9 |
| 1980s | 24,699 Persons | 23,775 Persons | 26,502 Persons | 10 |
| 1990s | 26,164 Persons | 25,299 Persons | 27,167 Persons | 10 |
| 2000s | 28,605 Persons | 27,484 Persons | 29,628 Persons | 10 |
| 2010s | 30,954 Persons | 29,227 Persons | 32,919 Persons | 10 |
| 2020s | 33,198 Persons | 32,552 Persons | 34,160 Persons | 6 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
- 2 Poland 17,332 Persons compare
- 2 Indonesia 121,022 Persons compare
- 3 Netherlands 10,157 Persons compare
- 3 Croatia 1,829 Persons compare
- 3 Russian Federation 72,532 Persons compare
- 4 Germany 45,827 Persons compare
- 4 Lithuania 1,485 Persons compare
- 5 Slovenia 1,106 Persons compare
- 6 France 30,638 Persons compare
- 6 Latvia 928.83 Persons compare
- 7 Estonia 702.49 Persons compare
- 7 Italy 26,243 Persons compare
- 8 Colombia 23,036 Persons compare
More work & labour data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 22,956 (2027)
- Labour force participation rate (ILO modelled estimates) 60.91 (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 35,770 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2021 international $ at PPP 111,361 (2027)
- Output per worker, GDP constant 2015 US $ 100,223 (2027)
- Employment-to-population ratio (ILO modelled estimates) 57.91 (2027)
- Persons outside the labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+) 1.47 % change on previous year (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) (15+), annual growth rate 0.4352 % change on previous year (2027)
- Legislation on sexual harassment in employment 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Criminal sanctions or compensation for workplace sexual harassment 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
All data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland →
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual population and employment, national concept — total employment in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- Annual population and employment, national concept — total employment in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was 34,160 Persons in 2025, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
- What is the highest annual population and employment, national concept — total employment recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 34,160 Persons in 2025.
- What is the lowest annual population and employment, national concept — total employment recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 23,775 Persons in 1983.
- How does United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank for annual population and employment, national concept — total employment?
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 5th out of 36 countries with data for 2025.
- Is annual population and employment, national concept — total employment rising or falling in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland data come from?
- The figures come from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, published as part of Annual population and employment, national concept — Total employment. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
This table presents population and employment data according to the national concept. The national concept is defined by the residence of the person: employees are residents employed by either resident or non-resident producer units; and the self-employed are resident self-employed people in either resident or non-resident producer units. Users should note that population data corresponds to mid-year estimates (or the average of the reference year). These indicators were presented in the previous dissemination system in the SNA_TABLE3 dataset. See ANA Changes for information on changes in methodology: ANA Changes Explore also the GDP and non-financial accounts webpage: GDP and non-financial accounts webpage OECD statistics contact: STAT.Contact@oecd.org