Average annual hours actually worked per worker β Hours worked in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Average annual hours actually worked per worker β Hours worked was 1,533 Hours per year per person in 2025. βΌ Falling
Average annual hours actually worked per worker β Hours worked in United Kingdom, 1970β2025
Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Measured in Hours per year per person.
Analysis
The most recent figure for average annual hours actually worked per worker β hours worked in United Kingdom is 1,533 Hours per year per person, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of down 0.3% on the previous year and up 0.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average annual hours actually worked per worker β hours worked in United Kingdom peaked at 1,775 Hours per year per person in 1970 and was at its lowest, 1,364 Hours per year per person, in 2020.
That places United Kingdom 26th out of 36 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 56 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 1,715 Hours per year per person | 1,661 Hours per year per person | 1,775 Hours per year per person | 10 |
| 1980s | 1,602 Hours per year per person | 1,567 Hours per year per person | 1,642 Hours per year per person | 10 |
| 1990s | 1,589 Hours per year per person | 1,572 Hours per year per person | 1,617 Hours per year per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 1,540 Hours per year per person | 1,516 Hours per year per person | 1,563 Hours per year per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 1,530 Hours per year per person | 1,507 Hours per year per person | 1,542 Hours per year per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 1,498 Hours per year per person | 1,364 Hours per year per person | 1,538 Hours per year per person | 6 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
- 23 Spain 1,633 Hours per year per person compare
- 24 Japan 1,598 Hours per year per person compare
- 25 Belgium 1,586 Hours per year per person compare
- 27 Switzerland 1,512 Hours per year per person compare
- 28 France 1,498 Hours per year per person compare
- 29 Finland 1,492 Hours per year per person compare
More work & labour data for United Kingdom
- Labour force participation rate (ILO modelled estimates) 60.91 (2027)
- Labour force (ILO modelled estimates) 35,770 (2027)
- Legislation on sexual harassment in employment 1 (2023)
- Criminal penalties or civil remedies sexual harassment in employment 1 (2023)
- Women can take the same jobs as men 1 (2023)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 61.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 65.6% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 87.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) 57.3% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages) 76.7% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is average annual hours actually worked per worker β hours worked in United Kingdom?
- Average annual hours actually worked per worker β hours worked in United Kingdom was 1,533 Hours per year per person in 2025, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
- What is the highest average annual hours actually worked per worker β hours worked recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 1,775 Hours per year per person in 1970.
- What is the lowest average annual hours actually worked per worker β hours worked recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 1,364 Hours per year per person in 2020.
- How does United Kingdom rank for average annual hours actually worked per worker β hours worked?
- United Kingdom ranks 26th out of 36 countries with data for 2025.
- Is average annual hours actually worked per worker β hours worked rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
- The figures come from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, published as part of Average annual hours actually worked per worker β Hours worked. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV Β· JSON β 56 observations, free to reuse under OECD Terms and Conditions (attribution required).
About this data
The concept used is the total number of hours worked over the year divided by the average number of people in employment. The data are intended for comparisons of trends over time; they are unsuitable for comparisons of the level of average annual hours of work for a given year, because of differences in their sources. Part-time workers are covered as well as full-time workers. Detailed notes and sources can be found in LFS_NOTES_SOURCES. In order to facilitate analysis and comparisons over time, historical data for OECD members have been provided over as long a period as possible, often even before a country became a member of the Organisation. Information on the membership dates of all OECD countries can be found at OECD Ratification Dates.