Incidence of unemployment by duration in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Incidence of unemployment by duration was 41.29 Percentage of population in the same subgroup in 2025. ▲ Rising
Incidence of unemployment by duration in United Kingdom, 1983–2025
Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Measured in Percentage of population in the same subgroup.
Analysis
United Kingdom recorded 41.29 Percentage of population in the same subgroup for incidence of unemployment by duration in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 5.8% on the previous year and up 83.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, incidence of unemployment by duration in United Kingdom peaked at 47.44 Percentage of population in the same subgroup in 2022 and was at its lowest, 10.14 Percentage of population in the same subgroup, in 1985.
That places United Kingdom 1st out of 38 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 43 years of available data.
Incidence of unemployment by duration in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | Percentage of population in the same subgroup | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1983 | 10.68 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | — |
| 1984 | 11.88 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | +11.3% |
| 1985 | 10.14 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | -14.7% |
| 1986 | 11.12 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | +9.7% |
| 1987 | 11.43 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | +2.8% |
| 1988 | 14.25 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | +24.6% |
| 1989 | 15.67 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | +10.0% |
| 1990 | 17.48 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | +11.5% |
| 1991 | 19.31 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | +10.5% |
| 1992 | 13.23 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | -31.5% |
| 1993 | 11.19 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | -15.4% |
| 1994 | 12.37 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | +10.5% |
| 1995 | 12.68 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | +2.5% |
| 1996 | 14.51 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | +14.4% |
| 1997 | 16.2 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | +11.6% |
| 1998 | 20.06 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | +23.9% |
| 1999 | 22.38 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | +11.5% |
| 2000 | 23.45 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | +4.8% |
| 2001 | 24.32 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | +3.7% |
| 2002 | 26.61 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | +9.4% |
| 2003 | 26.41 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | -0.8% |
| 2004 | 25.89 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | -1.9% |
| 2005 | 26.15 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | +1.0% |
| 2006 | 24.07 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | -8.0% |
| 2007 | 25.24 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | +4.9% |
| 2008 | 24.78 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | -1.8% |
| 2009 | 22.64 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | -8.6% |
| 2010 | 19.84 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | -12.4% |
| 2011 | 19.93 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | +0.5% |
| 2012 | 18.87 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | -5.3% |
| 2013 | 19.46 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | +3.1% |
| 2014 | 19.84 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | +2.0% |
| 2015 | 22.56 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | +13.7% |
| 2016 | 41.71 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | +84.9% |
| 2017 | 43.06 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | +3.2% |
| 2018 | 44.16 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | +2.6% |
| 2019 | 44.87 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | +1.6% |
| 2020 | 44.54 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | -0.7% |
| 2021 | 37.64 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | -15.5% |
| 2022 | 47.44 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | +26.0% |
| 2023 | 47.05 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | -0.8% |
| 2024 | 43.85 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | -6.8% |
| 2025 | 41.29 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | -5.8% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 41.29 Percentage of population in the same subgroup is above the median for high income countries, which is 22.44 Percentage of population in the same subgroup, 1.8× the median. (31 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 41.29 Percentage of population in the same subgroup is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 21.67 Percentage of population in the same subgroup, 1.9× the median. (24 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Incidence of unemployment by duration in United Kingdom changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | +84.9% | 22.56 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | 41.71 Percentage of population in the same subgroup |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 12.17 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | 10.14 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | 15.67 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | 7 |
| 1990s | 15.94 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | 11.19 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | 22.38 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | 10 |
| 2000s | 24.96 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | 22.64 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | 26.61 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | 10 |
| 2010s | 29.43 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | 18.87 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | 44.87 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | 10 |
| 2020s | 43.63 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | 37.64 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | 47.44 Percentage of population in the same subgroup | 6 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
- 1 Türkiye 35.79 Percentage of population in the same subgroup compare
- 2 Colombia 37.66 Percentage of population in the same subgroup compare
- 2 Netherlands 29.13 Percentage of population in the same subgroup compare
- 2 Croatia 16.98 Percentage of population in the same subgroup compare
- 3 Mexico 35.94 Percentage of population in the same subgroup compare
- 3 Slovenia 26.74 Percentage of population in the same subgroup compare
- 4 Ireland 35.35 Percentage of population in the same subgroup compare
More work & labour data for United Kingdom
- 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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is incidence of unemployment by duration in United Kingdom?
- Incidence of unemployment by duration in United Kingdom was 41.29 Percentage of population in the same subgroup in 2025, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
- What is the highest incidence of unemployment by duration recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 47.44 Percentage of population in the same subgroup in 2022.
- What is the lowest incidence of unemployment by duration recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 10.14 Percentage of population in the same subgroup in 1985.
- How does United Kingdom rank for incidence of unemployment by duration?
- United Kingdom ranks 1st out of 38 countries with data for 2025.
- Is incidence of unemployment by duration rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is up 83.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
- The figures come from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, published as part of Incidence of unemployment by duration. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 43 observations, free to reuse under OECD Terms and Conditions (attribution required).
About this data
This table contains data on the share of the five durations - less than 1 month,>1 month and < 3 months,>3 months and <6 months,>6 months and <1 year, 1 year and over - of unemployment among total unemployment by sex and by standardised age groups (15-19, 15-24, 20-24, 25-54, 55+, total). Detailed notes and sources can be found in 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.