Early leavers from formal education by labour status in United Kingdom

United Kingdom: Early leavers from formal education by labour status was 11.6% in 2019. ▼ Falling

Latest (2019)
11.6%
Change on year
up 1.8%
World rank
10th
of 45 countries
All-time high
20.3%
in 2004
All-time low
11.4%
in 2018
Years of data
16
2004–2019

Early leavers from formal education by labour status in United Kingdom, 2004–2019

051015202004201120192004: 20.3 Percentage2005: 19.6 Percentage2006: 18.7 Percentage2007: 19 Percentage2008: 19.1 Percentage2009: 17.6 Percentage2010: 16.4 Percentage2011: 16.3 Percentage2012: 14.9 Percentage2013: 13.8 Percentage2014: 13 Percentage2015: 11.7 Percentage2016: 12.1 Percentage2017: 11.5 Percentage2018: 11.4 Percentage2019: 11.6 Percentage

Source: Eurostat. Measured in Percentage.

Analysis

The most recent figure for early leavers from formal education by labour status in United Kingdom is 11.6%, measured in 2019.

The figure is up 1.8% on the previous year and down 34.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, early leavers from formal education by labour status in United Kingdom peaked at 20.3% in 2004 and was at its lowest, 11.4%, in 2018.

United Kingdom ranks 10th of 45 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 16 years of available data.

Early leavers from formal education by labour status in United Kingdom, year by year

Annual values for Early leavers from formal education by labour status in United Kingdom, 2004 to 2019.
Year Percentage Change
2004 20.3%
2005 19.6% -3.4%
2006 18.7% -4.6%
2007 19.0% +1.6%
2008 19.1% +0.5%
2009 17.6% -7.9%
2010 16.4% -6.8%
2011 16.3% -0.6%
2012 14.9% -8.6%
2013 13.8% -7.4%
2014 13.0% -5.8%
2015 11.7% -10.0%
2016 12.1% +3.4%
2017 11.5% -5.0%
2018 11.4% -0.9%
2019 11.6% +1.8%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 19.1% 17.6% 20.3% 6
2010s 13.3% 11.4% 16.4% 10

Countries ranked near United Kingdom

  1. 7 Austria 11.8% compare
  2. 8 Estonia 11.7% compare
  3. 8 Estonia 11.7% compare
  4. 10 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 11.6% compare
  5. 12 Finland 10.9% compare
  6. 13 Hungary 10.4% compare

See the full ranking of 47 places →

More work & labour data for United Kingdom

All data for United Kingdom →

Frequently asked questions

What is early leavers from formal education by labour status in United Kingdom?
Early leavers from formal education by labour status in United Kingdom was 11.6% in 2019, according to Eurostat.
What is the highest early leavers from formal education by labour status recorded in United Kingdom?
The highest recorded value was 20.3% in 2004.
What is the lowest early leavers from formal education by labour status recorded in United Kingdom?
The lowest recorded value was 11.4% in 2018.
How does United Kingdom rank for early leavers from formal education by labour status?
United Kingdom ranks 10th out of 45 countries with data for 2019.
Is early leavers from formal education by labour status rising or falling in United Kingdom?
Over the last ten years it is down 34.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
The figures come from Eurostat, published as part of Early leavers from formal education by labour status. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Early leavers from formal education by labour status in United Kingdom. Statizoid, drawing on Eurostat. Retrieved 31 August 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/early-leavers-from-formal-education-by-labour-status/united-kingdom-2/

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About this data

Indicator
Early leavers from formal education by labour status
Unit
Percentage
Source
Eurostat
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Eurostat)
Coverage
47 places, 979 data points, 2004–2025
Last refreshed