Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) was 57.3% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
The most recent figure for labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is 57.3%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.3% on the previous year and up 1.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland peaked at 58.3% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 51.8%, in 1992.
That places United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 63rd out of 187 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 52.0% | — |
| 1991 | 51.8% | -0.3% |
| 1992 | 51.8% | -0.0% |
| 1993 | 51.9% | +0.1% |
| 1994 | 51.9% | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 51.9% | -0.1% |
| 1996 | 52.3% | +0.8% |
| 1997 | 52.7% | +0.8% |
| 1998 | 52.7% | +0.1% |
| 1999 | 53.3% | +1.0% |
| 2000 | 53.7% | +0.7% |
| 2001 | 53.5% | -0.2% |
| 2002 | 54.1% | +1.1% |
| 2003 | 54.1% | -0.1% |
| 2004 | 54.5% | +0.8% |
| 2005 | 54.9% | +0.6% |
| 2006 | 55.4% | +0.9% |
| 2007 | 55.1% | -0.4% |
| 2008 | 55.4% | +0.5% |
| 2009 | 55.6% | +0.3% |
| 2010 | 55.5% | -0.1% |
| 2011 | 55.7% | +0.3% |
| 2012 | 55.9% | +0.5% |
| 2013 | 56.3% | +0.6% |
| 2014 | 56.5% | +0.5% |
| 2015 | 56.7% | +0.4% |
| 2016 | 57.1% | +0.6% |
| 2017 | 57.3% | +0.3% |
| 2018 | 57.5% | +0.4% |
| 2019 | 58.0% | +0.9% |
| 2020 | 58.3% | +0.4% |
| 2021 | 58.0% | -0.4% |
| 2022 | 57.7% | -0.5% |
| 2023 | 57.4% | -0.6% |
| 2024 | 57.5% | +0.2% |
| 2025 | 57.3% | -0.3% |
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland's 57.3% is above the median for high income countries, which is 55.1%, 1.0× the median. (62 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland's 57.3% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 54.6%, 1.1× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 52.2% | 51.8% | 53.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 54.6% | 53.5% | 55.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 56.7% | 55.5% | 58.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 57.7% | 57.3% | 58.3% | 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)
- 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 labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was 57.3% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 58.3% in 2020.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 51.8% in 1992.
- How does United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank for labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages)?
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 63rd out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) rising or falling in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.1%. 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 ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15+) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The labor force participation rate is the labor force as a percent of the population ages 15 and older. The labor force is the sum of all persons of working age who are employed and those who are unemployed.