Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) was 61.4% in 2025. ▬ Flat
Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2025, labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland stood at 61.4%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.3% on the previous year and down 1.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland peaked at 62.6% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 60.6%, in 1995.
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 95th of 187 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 62.4% | — |
| 1991 | 62.0% | -0.6% |
| 1992 | 61.5% | -0.7% |
| 1993 | 61.0% | -0.8% |
| 1994 | 60.8% | -0.3% |
| 1995 | 60.6% | -0.3% |
| 1996 | 60.7% | +0.1% |
| 1997 | 60.9% | +0.3% |
| 1998 | 60.8% | -0.2% |
| 1999 | 61.1% | +0.5% |
| 2000 | 61.3% | +0.4% |
| 2001 | 61.0% | -0.6% |
| 2002 | 61.3% | +0.5% |
| 2003 | 61.4% | +0.2% |
| 2004 | 61.4% | +0.1% |
| 2005 | 61.7% | +0.4% |
| 2006 | 62.1% | +0.7% |
| 2007 | 61.9% | -0.3% |
| 2008 | 62.2% | +0.4% |
| 2009 | 62.0% | -0.3% |
| 2010 | 61.8% | -0.3% |
| 2011 | 61.8% | -0.0% |
| 2012 | 62.0% | +0.3% |
| 2013 | 62.0% | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 62.1% | +0.2% |
| 2015 | 62.2% | +0.2% |
| 2016 | 62.4% | +0.3% |
| 2017 | 62.4% | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 62.6% | +0.3% |
| 2019 | 62.6% | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 62.6% | -0.1% |
| 2021 | 62.0% | -1.0% |
| 2022 | 61.9% | -0.1% |
| 2023 | 61.8% | -0.2% |
| 2024 | 61.6% | -0.4% |
| 2025 | 61.4% | -0.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 61.2% | 60.6% | 62.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 61.6% | 61.0% | 62.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 62.2% | 61.8% | 62.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 61.9% | 61.4% | 62.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
- 92 United States of America 61.7% compare
- 93 Mexico 61.6% compare
- 94 Luxembourg 61.5% compare
- 96 Philippines 61.4% compare
- 97 Russian Federation 61.1% compare
- 98 Hungary 60.6% compare
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, total (% of total population ages 15+) in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was 61.4% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 62.6% in 2019.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 60.6% in 1995.
- How does United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank for labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+)?
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 95th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) rising or falling in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- 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, total (% of total population ages 15+) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 36 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
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.