Employment in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Employment was 33,760 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Employment in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 1991–2025
Source: International Labour Organization.
Analysis
In 2025, employment in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland stood at 33,760. That is the highest value across all 35 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.2% on the previous year and up 6.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employment in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland peaked at 33,760 in 2025 and was at its lowest, 25,475, in 1993.
That places United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 19th out of 188 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Employment in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 26,332 | — |
| 1992 | 25,823 | -1.9% |
| 1993 | 25,475 | -1.3% |
| 1994 | 25,645 | +0.7% |
| 1995 | 25,918 | +1.1% |
| 1996 | 26,182 | +1.0% |
| 1997 | 26,662 | +1.8% |
| 1998 | 26,978 | +1.2% |
| 1999 | 27,306 | +1.2% |
| 2000 | 27,733 | +1.6% |
| 2001 | 28,013 | +1.0% |
| 2002 | 28,229 | +0.8% |
| 2003 | 28,508 | +1.0% |
| 2004 | 28,790 | +1.0% |
| 2005 | 29,081 | +1.0% |
| 2006 | 29,380 | +1.0% |
| 2007 | 29,606 | +0.8% |
| 2008 | 29,875 | +0.9% |
| 2009 | 29,410 | -1.6% |
| 2010 | 29,470 | +0.2% |
| 2011 | 29,628 | +0.5% |
| 2012 | 29,906 | +0.9% |
| 2013 | 30,275 | +1.2% |
| 2014 | 30,995 | +2.4% |
| 2015 | 31,567 | +1.8% |
| 2016 | 32,085 | +1.6% |
| 2017 | 32,422 | +1.1% |
| 2018 | 32,834 | +1.3% |
| 2019 | 33,194 | +1.1% |
| 2020 | 33,026 | -0.5% |
| 2021 | 32,781 | -0.7% |
| 2022 | 33,456 | +2.1% |
| 2023 | 33,652 | +0.6% |
| 2024 | 33,708 | +0.2% |
| 2025 | 33,760 | +0.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 26,258 | 25,475 | 27,306 | 9 |
| 2000s | 28,863 | 27,733 | 29,875 | 10 |
| 2010s | 31,238 | 29,470 | 33,194 | 10 |
| 2020s | 33,397 | 32,781 | 33,760 | 6 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
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)
- 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 (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)
All data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland →
Frequently asked questions
- What is employment in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- Employment in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was 33,760 in 2025, according to International Labour Organization.
- What is the highest employment recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 33,760 in 2025.
- What is the lowest employment recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 25,475 in 1993.
- How does United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank for employment?
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 19th out of 188 countries with data for 2025.
- Is employment 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 International Labour Organization, published as part of Employment (ILO modelled estimates). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under ILO Terms of Use (attribution required).
About this data
Imputed observations are not based on national data, are subject to high uncertainty and should not be used for country comparisons or rankings. This series is based on the 13th ICLS definitions. The employed comprise all persons of working age who, during a specified brief period, were in one of the following categories: a) paid employment (whether at work or with a job but not at work); or b) self-employment (whether at work or with an enterprise but not at work). Data disaggregated by economic activity are provided according to the latest version of the International Standard Industrial Classification of All Economic Activities (ISIC) available for that year. Data may have been regrouped from national classifications, which may not be strictly compatible with ISIC. For more information, refer to the ILO Modelled Estimates (ILOEST) database description.