Share of workers employed in services vs. GDP per capita in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Share of workers employed in services vs. GDP per capita was 79.1% in 2011. ▲ Rising
Share of workers employed in services vs. GDP per capita in United Kingdom, 1801–2011
Source: Herrendorf et al. and Groningen Growth and Development Centre (2015) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
United Kingdom recorded 79.1% for share of workers employed in services vs. gdp per capita in 2011.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.6% on the previous year and up 4.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of workers employed in services vs. gdp per capita in United Kingdom peaked at 80.1% in 2009 and was at its lowest, 31.9%, in 1801.
That places United Kingdom 4th out of 44 countries with data for 2011, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 92 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1800s | 31.9% | 31.9% | 31.9% | 1 |
| 1840s | 36.9% | 36.9% | 36.9% | 1 |
| 1850s | 33.4% | 33.4% | 33.4% | 1 |
| 1860s | 32.1% | 32.1% | 32.1% | 1 |
| 1870s | 35.4% | 35.4% | 35.4% | 1 |
| 1880s | 38.0% | 38.0% | 38.0% | 1 |
| 1890s | 40.7% | 40.7% | 40.7% | 1 |
| 1900s | 43.1% | 43.1% | 43.1% | 1 |
| 1910s | 44.1% | 44.1% | 44.1% | 1 |
| 1920s | 45.8% | 43.9% | 47.1% | 10 |
| 1930s | 49.9% | 48.6% | 50.8% | 9 |
| 1940s | 51.0% | 50.8% | 51.1% | 2 |
| 1950s | 50.8% | 50.5% | 51.2% | 10 |
| 1960s | 52.5% | 51.0% | 54.2% | 10 |
| 1970s | 58.1% | 55.0% | 60.7% | 10 |
| 1980s | 65.7% | 61.6% | 67.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 71.9% | 68.5% | 74.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 77.8% | 75.0% | 80.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 79.3% | 79.1% | 79.6% | 2 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
More work & labour data for United Kingdom
- 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)
- 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 15 57.3% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15-6 76.7% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 79.9% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 73.5% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of workers employed in services vs. gdp per capita in United Kingdom?
- Share of workers employed in services vs. gdp per capita in United Kingdom was 79.1% in 2011, according to Herrendorf et al. and Groningen Growth and Development Centre (2015) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of workers employed in services vs. gdp per capita recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 80.1% in 2009.
- What is the lowest share of workers employed in services vs. gdp per capita recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 31.9% in 1801.
- How does United Kingdom rank for share of workers employed in services vs. gdp per capita?
- United Kingdom ranks 4th out of 44 countries with data for 2011.
- Is share of workers employed in services vs. gdp per capita rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is up 4.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
- The figures come from Herrendorf et al. and Groningen Growth and Development Centre (2015) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of workers employed in services vs. GDP per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
The vertical axis shows historical estimates of the employment share in the service sector. The horizontal axis shows GDP per capita, adjusted for inflation and differences in living costs between countries.