Labour force participation rates by educational attainment level in United Kingdom

United Kingdom: Labour force participation rates by educational attainment level was 69.8% in 2019. ▲ Rising

Latest (2019)
69.8%
Change on year
up 0.4%
World rank
16th
of 45 countries
All-time high
69.8%
in 2019
All-time low
63.4%
in 1983
Years of data
37
1983–2019

Labour force participation rates by educational attainment level in United Kingdom, 1983–2019

02040601983200120191983: 63.4 Percentage1984: 64.4 Percentage1985: 65.9 Percentage1986: 66 Percentage1987: 66.5 Percentage1988: 67.1 Percentage1989: 68.2 Percentage1990: 68.5 Percentage1991: 68.1 Percentage1992: 67.6 Percentage1993: 67.1 Percentage1994: 66.8 Percentage1995: 66.7 Percentage1996: 67 Percentage1997: 67.3 Percentage1998: 67.2 Percentage1999: 67.3 Percentage2000: 67.6 Percentage2001: 67.2 Percentage2002: 67.5 Percentage2003: 67.6 Percentage2004: 67.7 Percentage2005: 68.1 Percentage2006: 68.6 Percentage2007: 68.4 Percentage2008: 68.7 Percentage2009: 68.5 Percentage2010: 68.3 Percentage2011: 68.3 Percentage2012: 68.5 Percentage2013: 68.7 Percentage2014: 68.8 Percentage2015: 68.9 Percentage2016: 69.2 Percentage2017: 69.2 Percentage2018: 69.5 Percentage2019: 69.8 Percentage

Source: Eurostat. Measured in Percentage.

Analysis

In 2019, labour force participation rates by educational attainment level in United Kingdom stood at 69.8%. That is the highest value across all 37 years on record.

The figure is up 0.4% on the previous year and up 1.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, labour force participation rates by educational attainment level in United Kingdom peaked at 69.8% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 63.4%, in 1983.

United Kingdom ranks 16th of 45 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 37 years of available data.

Labour force participation rates by educational attainment level in United Kingdom, year by year

Annual values for Labour force participation rates by educational attainment level in United Kingdom, 1983 to 2019.
Year Percentage Change
1983 63.4%
1984 64.4% +1.6%
1985 65.9% +2.3%
1986 66.0% +0.2%
1987 66.5% +0.8%
1988 67.1% +0.9%
1989 68.2% +1.6%
1990 68.5% +0.4%
1991 68.1% -0.6%
1992 67.6% -0.7%
1993 67.1% -0.7%
1994 66.8% -0.4%
1995 66.7% -0.1%
1996 67.0% +0.4%
1997 67.3% +0.4%
1998 67.2% -0.1%
1999 67.3% +0.1%
2000 67.6% +0.4%
2001 67.2% -0.6%
2002 67.5% +0.4%
2003 67.6% +0.1%
2004 67.7% +0.1%
2005 68.1% +0.6%
2006 68.6% +0.7%
2007 68.4% -0.3%
2008 68.7% +0.4%
2009 68.5% -0.3%
2010 68.3% -0.3%
2011 68.3% +0.0%
2012 68.5% +0.3%
2013 68.7% +0.3%
2014 68.8% +0.1%
2015 68.9% +0.1%
2016 69.2% +0.4%
2017 69.2% +0.0%
2018 69.5% +0.4%
2019 69.8% +0.4%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 65.9% 63.4% 68.2% 7
1990s 67.4% 66.7% 68.5% 10
2000s 68.0% 67.2% 68.7% 10
2010s 68.9% 68.3% 69.8% 10

Countries ranked near United Kingdom

  1. 13 Lithuania 70.7% compare
  2. 13 Lithuania 70.7% compare
  3. 15 Germany 70.3% compare
  4. 16 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 69.8% compare
  5. 18 Latvia 69.3% compare
  6. 18 Latvia 69.3% compare

See the full ranking of 47 places →

More work & labour data for United Kingdom

All data for United Kingdom →

Frequently asked questions

What is labour force participation rates by educational attainment level in United Kingdom?
Labour force participation rates by educational attainment level in United Kingdom was 69.8% in 2019, according to Eurostat.
What is the highest labour force participation rates by educational attainment level recorded in United Kingdom?
The highest recorded value was 69.8% in 2019.
What is the lowest labour force participation rates by educational attainment level recorded in United Kingdom?
The lowest recorded value was 63.4% in 1983.
How does United Kingdom rank for labour force participation rates by educational attainment level?
United Kingdom ranks 16th out of 45 countries with data for 2019.
Is labour force participation rates by educational attainment level rising or falling in United Kingdom?
Over the last ten years it is up 1.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
The figures come from Eurostat, published as part of Labour force participation rates by educational attainment level. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Labour force participation rates by educational attainment level in United Kingdom. Statizoid, drawing on Eurostat. Retrieved 31 August 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/labour-force-participation-rates-by-educational-attainment-level/united-kingdom-2/

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About this data

Indicator
Labour force participation rates by educational attainment level
Unit
Percentage
Source
Eurostat
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Eurostat)
Coverage
47 places, 1,443 data points, 1983–2025
Last refreshed