Female labor force participation rates latest vs 1980, gaps filled in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Female labor force participation rates latest vs 1980, gaps filled was 59.27 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Female labor force participation rates latest vs 1980, gaps filled in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 1961–2025
Source: Statizoid (derived).
Analysis
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland recorded 59.27 for female labor force participation rates latest vs 1980, gaps filled in 2025. That is the highest value across all 51 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.4% on the previous year and up 3.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, female labor force participation rates latest vs 1980, gaps filled in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland peaked at 59.27 in 2025 and was at its lowest, 35.38, in 1978.
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 63rd of 194 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 51 years of available data.
Female labor force participation rates latest vs 1980, gaps filled in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 37.57 | — |
| 1966 | 41.94 | +11.6% |
| 1971 | 42.57 | +1.5% |
| 1978 | 35.38 | -16.9% |
| 1979 | 35.92 | +1.5% |
| 1980 | 35.92 | -0.0% |
| 1981 | 44.54 | +24.0% |
| 1982 | 45.09 | +1.2% |
| 1983 | 45.65 | +1.2% |
| 1984 | 47.15 | +3.3% |
| 1985 | 48.7 | +3.3% |
| 1986 | 49.16 | +1.0% |
| 1987 | 49.97 | +1.6% |
| 1988 | 50.63 | +1.3% |
| 1989 | 52.09 | +2.9% |
| 1990 | 52.44 | +0.7% |
| 1991 | 52.27 | -0.3% |
| 1992 | 52.38 | +0.2% |
| 1993 | 52.47 | +0.2% |
| 1994 | 52.5 | +0.1% |
| 1995 | 52.46 | -0.1% |
| 1996 | 52.89 | +0.8% |
| 1997 | 53.3 | +0.8% |
| 1998 | 53.33 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 53.78 | +0.9% |
| 2000 | 54.19 | +0.8% |
| 2001 | 54.08 | -0.2% |
| 2002 | 54.64 | +1.0% |
| 2003 | 54.55 | -0.2% |
| 2004 | 54.93 | +0.7% |
| 2005 | 55.28 | +0.6% |
| 2006 | 55.79 | +0.9% |
| 2007 | 55.55 | -0.4% |
| 2008 | 55.84 | +0.5% |
| 2009 | 55.99 | +0.3% |
| 2010 | 55.91 | -0.2% |
| 2011 | 56.05 | +0.3% |
| 2012 | 56.29 | +0.4% |
| 2013 | 56.64 | +0.6% |
| 2014 | 56.9 | +0.5% |
| 2015 | 57.06 | +0.3% |
| 2016 | 57.42 | +0.6% |
| 2017 | 57.61 | +0.3% |
| 2018 | 57.86 | +0.4% |
| 2019 | 58.43 | +1.0% |
| 2020 | 58.63 | +0.3% |
| 2021 | 58.36 | -0.5% |
| 2022 | 58.16 | -0.4% |
| 2023 | 58.11 | -0.1% |
| 2024 | 58.45 | +0.6% |
| 2025 | 59.27 | +1.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 39.75 | 37.57 | 41.94 | 2 |
| 1970s | 37.96 | 35.38 | 42.57 | 3 |
| 1980s | 46.89 | 35.92 | 52.09 | 10 |
| 1990s | 52.78 | 52.27 | 53.78 | 10 |
| 2000s | 55.08 | 54.08 | 55.99 | 10 |
| 2010s | 57.02 | 55.91 | 58.43 | 10 |
| 2020s | 58.5 | 58.11 | 59.27 | 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 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Criminal sanctions or compensation for workplace sexual harassment 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Women can take the same jobs as men 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (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 female labor force participation rates latest vs 1980, gaps filled in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- Female labor force participation rates latest vs 1980, gaps filled in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was 59.27 in 2025, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest female labor force participation rates latest vs 1980, gaps filled recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 59.27 in 2025.
- What is the lowest female labor force participation rates latest vs 1980, gaps filled recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 35.38 in 1978.
- How does United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank for female labor force participation rates latest vs 1980, gaps filled?
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 63rd out of 194 countries with data for 2025.
- Is female labor force participation rates latest vs 1980, gaps filled rising or falling in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.9%. 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 Statizoid (derived), published as part of Female labor force participation rates latest vs 1980, gaps filled. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 51 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Female labor force participation rates latest vs 1980 with 782 missing years estimated by linear interpolation between the nearest real observations. Only gaps of 4 years or fewer are filled, and never beyond the first or last actual measurement — these are filled holes, not forecasts.
Computed from
- Female labor force participation rate: 1980 vs. 2024 Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Female labor force participation rates latest vs 1980 with 782 missing years estimated by linear interpolation between the nearest real observations. Only gaps of 4 years or fewer are filled, and never beyond the first or last actual measurement — these are filled holes, not forecasts.