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 59.3% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 1961–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland recorded 59.3% for labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages) in 2025. That is the highest value across all 50 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.4% on the previous year and up 3.9% 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 59.3% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 35.4%, in 1978.
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 63rd of 196 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 50 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 37.6% | — |
| 1966 | 41.9% | +11.6% |
| 1971 | 42.6% | +1.5% |
| 1978 | 35.4% | -16.9% |
| 1979 | 35.9% | +1.5% |
| 1980 | 35.9% | -0.0% |
| 1981 | 44.5% | +24.0% |
| 1983 | 45.6% | +2.5% |
| 1984 | 47.2% | +3.3% |
| 1985 | 48.7% | +3.3% |
| 1986 | 49.2% | +1.0% |
| 1987 | 50.0% | +1.6% |
| 1988 | 50.6% | +1.3% |
| 1989 | 52.1% | +2.9% |
| 1990 | 52.4% | +0.7% |
| 1991 | 52.3% | -0.3% |
| 1992 | 52.4% | +0.2% |
| 1993 | 52.5% | +0.2% |
| 1994 | 52.5% | +0.1% |
| 1995 | 52.5% | -0.1% |
| 1996 | 52.9% | +0.8% |
| 1997 | 53.3% | +0.8% |
| 1998 | 53.3% | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 53.8% | +0.9% |
| 2000 | 54.2% | +0.8% |
| 2001 | 54.1% | -0.2% |
| 2002 | 54.6% | +1.0% |
| 2003 | 54.6% | -0.2% |
| 2004 | 54.9% | +0.7% |
| 2005 | 55.3% | +0.6% |
| 2006 | 55.8% | +0.9% |
| 2007 | 55.6% | -0.4% |
| 2008 | 55.8% | +0.5% |
| 2009 | 56.0% | +0.3% |
| 2010 | 55.9% | -0.2% |
| 2011 | 56.1% | +0.3% |
| 2012 | 56.3% | +0.4% |
| 2013 | 56.6% | +0.6% |
| 2014 | 56.9% | +0.5% |
| 2015 | 57.1% | +0.3% |
| 2016 | 57.4% | +0.6% |
| 2017 | 57.6% | +0.3% |
| 2018 | 57.9% | +0.4% |
| 2019 | 58.4% | +1.0% |
| 2020 | 58.6% | +0.3% |
| 2021 | 58.4% | -0.5% |
| 2022 | 58.2% | -0.4% |
| 2023 | 58.1% | -0.1% |
| 2024 | 58.4% | +0.6% |
| 2025 | 59.3% | +1.4% |
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland's 59.3% is above the median for high income countries, which is 57.2%, 1.0× the median. (79 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland's 59.3% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 56.9%, 1.0× the median. (54 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 39.8% | 37.6% | 41.9% | 2 |
| 1970s | 38.0% | 35.4% | 42.6% | 3 |
| 1980s | 47.1% | 35.9% | 52.1% | 9 |
| 1990s | 52.8% | 52.3% | 53.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 55.1% | 54.1% | 56.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 57.0% | 55.9% | 58.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 58.5% | 58.1% | 59.3% | 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 59.3% in 2025, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), 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 59.3% in 2025.
- 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 35.4% in 1978.
- 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 196 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 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 Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15+) (national estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Labor force participation rate is the proportion of the population ages 15 and older that is economically active: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period.