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 62.8% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 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 62.8% for labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) in 2025.
That represents a change of up 1.3% on the previous year and up 0.4% 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 63.0% in 1990 and was at its lowest, 47.0%, in 1980.
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 97th of 199 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, total (% of total population ages 15+) in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 61.0% | — |
| 1966 | 61.9% | +1.4% |
| 1971 | 61.0% | -1.3% |
| 1978 | 47.1% | -22.8% |
| 1979 | 47.1% | +0.1% |
| 1980 | 47.0% | -0.2% |
| 1981 | 59.6% | +26.8% |
| 1983 | 58.9% | -1.2% |
| 1984 | 59.8% | +1.4% |
| 1985 | 61.0% | +2.1% |
| 1986 | 61.1% | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 61.5% | +0.7% |
| 1988 | 61.9% | +0.8% |
| 1989 | 62.9% | +1.5% |
| 1990 | 63.0% | +0.2% |
| 1991 | 62.7% | -0.6% |
| 1992 | 62.4% | -0.4% |
| 1993 | 61.9% | -0.8% |
| 1994 | 61.7% | -0.2% |
| 1995 | 61.6% | -0.3% |
| 1996 | 61.7% | +0.2% |
| 1997 | 61.9% | +0.3% |
| 1998 | 61.8% | -0.2% |
| 1999 | 61.7% | -0.1% |
| 2000 | 61.9% | +0.4% |
| 2001 | 61.5% | -0.6% |
| 2002 | 61.8% | +0.4% |
| 2003 | 61.9% | +0.1% |
| 2004 | 61.9% | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 62.1% | +0.4% |
| 2006 | 62.5% | +0.7% |
| 2007 | 62.4% | -0.3% |
| 2008 | 62.6% | +0.3% |
| 2009 | 62.4% | -0.3% |
| 2010 | 62.1% | -0.4% |
| 2011 | 62.1% | -0.0% |
| 2012 | 62.3% | +0.3% |
| 2013 | 62.4% | +0.1% |
| 2014 | 62.5% | +0.2% |
| 2015 | 62.6% | +0.1% |
| 2016 | 62.7% | +0.2% |
| 2017 | 62.7% | -0.0% |
| 2018 | 62.9% | +0.3% |
| 2019 | 62.9% | +0.1% |
| 2020 | 62.8% | -0.2% |
| 2021 | 62.2% | -1.0% |
| 2022 | 62.2% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 62.2% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 62.0% | -0.3% |
| 2025 | 62.8% | +1.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 61.4% | 61.0% | 61.9% | 2 |
| 1970s | 51.8% | 47.1% | 61.0% | 3 |
| 1980s | 59.3% | 47.0% | 62.9% | 9 |
| 1990s | 62.0% | 61.6% | 63.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 62.1% | 61.5% | 62.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 62.5% | 62.1% | 62.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 62.4% | 62.0% | 62.8% | 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, 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 62.8% in 2025, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), 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 63.0% in 1990.
- 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 47.0% in 1980.
- 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 97th out of 199 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 up 0.4%. 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, total (% of total 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.