Employment and unemployment by five-year age group and sex - levels in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Employment and unemployment by five-year age group and sex - levels was 33,322 Persons in 2025. ▲ Rising
Employment and unemployment by five-year age group and sex - levels in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 1984–2025
Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Measured in Persons.
Analysis
The most recent figure for employment and unemployment by five-year age group and sex - levels in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is 33,322 Persons, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 42 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.9% on the previous year and up 6.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employment and unemployment by five-year age group and sex - levels in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland peaked at 33,322 Persons in 2025 and was at its lowest, 23,975 Persons, in 1984.
That places United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 11th out of 43 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 42 years of available data.
Employment and unemployment by five-year age group and sex - levels in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, year by year
| Year | Persons | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1984 | 23,975 Persons | — |
| 1985 | 24,315 Persons | +1.4% |
| 1986 | 24,545 Persons | +0.9% |
| 1987 | 24,847 Persons | +1.2% |
| 1988 | 25,731 Persons | +3.6% |
| 1989 | 26,614 Persons | +3.4% |
| 1990 | 26,845 Persons | +0.9% |
| 1991 | 26,154 Persons | -2.6% |
| 1992 | 25,570 Persons | -2.2% |
| 1993 | 25,215 Persons | -1.4% |
| 1994 | 25,367 Persons | +0.6% |
| 1995 | 25,621 Persons | +1.0% |
| 1996 | 25,853 Persons | +0.9% |
| 1997 | 26,444 Persons | +2.3% |
| 1998 | 26,642 Persons | +0.7% |
| 1999 | 27,023 Persons | +1.4% |
| 2000 | 27,399 Persons | +1.4% |
| 2001 | 27,643 Persons | +0.9% |
| 2002 | 27,873 Persons | +0.8% |
| 2003 | 28,166 Persons | +1.1% |
| 2004 | 28,330 Persons | +0.6% |
| 2005 | 28,670 Persons | +1.2% |
| 2006 | 28,954 Persons | +1.0% |
| 2007 | 29,272 Persons | +1.1% |
| 2008 | 29,425 Persons | +0.5% |
| 2009 | 28,995 Persons | -1.5% |
| 2010 | 29,047 Persons | +0.2% |
| 2011 | 29,173 Persons | +0.4% |
| 2012 | 29,462 Persons | +1.0% |
| 2013 | 29,879 Persons | +1.4% |
| 2014 | 30,476 Persons | +2.0% |
| 2015 | 31,163 Persons | +2.3% |
| 2016 | 31,500 Persons | +1.1% |
| 2017 | 31,938 Persons | +1.4% |
| 2018 | 32,168 Persons | +0.7% |
| 2019 | 32,552 Persons | +1.2% |
| 2020 | 32,356 Persons | -0.6% |
| 2021 | 32,173 Persons | -0.6% |
| 2022 | 32,681 Persons | +1.6% |
| 2023 | 32,965 Persons | +0.9% |
| 2024 | 33,023 Persons | +0.2% |
| 2025 | 33,322 Persons | +0.9% |
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland's 33,322 Persons is above the median for high income countries, which is 5,016 Persons, 6.6× the median. (32 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland's 33,322 Persons is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 4,777 Persons, 7.0× the median. (24 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 25,005 Persons | 23,975 Persons | 26,614 Persons | 6 |
| 1990s | 26,073 Persons | 25,215 Persons | 27,023 Persons | 10 |
| 2000s | 28,473 Persons | 27,399 Persons | 29,425 Persons | 10 |
| 2010s | 30,736 Persons | 29,047 Persons | 32,552 Persons | 10 |
| 2020s | 32,753 Persons | 32,173 Persons | 33,322 Persons | 6 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
- 8 Mexico 59,440 Persons compare
- 8 Netherlands 9,899 Persons compare
- 9 Germany 42,553 Persons compare
- 9 Lithuania 1,463 Persons compare
- 10 Slovenia 996.46 Persons compare
- 10 Thailand 39,807 Persons compare
- 11 Latvia 889.52 Persons compare
- 12 Estonia 698.63 Persons compare
- 12 France 29,328 Persons compare
- 13 Italy 24,117 Persons compare
- 14 Colombia 23,827 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)
- Unemployment rate (ILO modelled estimates) 4.93 (2027)
- Labour dependency ratio 1.07 (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)
All data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland →
Frequently asked questions
- What is employment and unemployment by five-year age group and sex - levels in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- Employment and unemployment by five-year age group and sex - levels in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was 33,322 Persons in 2025, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
- What is the highest employment and unemployment by five-year age group and sex - levels recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 33,322 Persons in 2025.
- What is the lowest employment and unemployment by five-year age group and sex - levels recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 23,975 Persons in 1984.
- How does United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank for employment and unemployment by five-year age group and sex - levels?
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 11th out of 43 countries with data for 2025.
- Is employment and unemployment by five-year age group and sex - levels rising or falling in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.9%. 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 Employment and unemployment by five-year age group and sex - levels — Population. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
This dataset contains labour force data on labour market status - population, labour force, unemployment and employment - by sex and by detailed age groups and standard age groups (15-24, 25-54, 55-64, 65+, total). Information for all countries and all LFS subjects may be found in the attached file 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.