Manufacturing jobs as a share of total employment in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Manufacturing jobs as a share of total employment was 8.1% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Manufacturing jobs as a share of total employment in United Kingdom, 2000–2024
Source: United Nations Industrial Development Organization – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2024, manufacturing jobs as a share of total employment in United Kingdom stood at 8.1%.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 3.8% on the previous year and up 10.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, manufacturing jobs as a share of total employment in United Kingdom peaked at 16.9% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 7.4%, in 2014.
That places United Kingdom 102nd out of 152 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.
Manufacturing jobs as a share of total employment in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 16.9% | — |
| 2001 | 16.3% | -4.0% |
| 2002 | 15.5% | -4.7% |
| 2003 | 14.8% | -4.7% |
| 2004 | 13.5% | -8.4% |
| 2005 | 13.2% | -2.8% |
| 2006 | 12.9% | -2.0% |
| 2007 | 12.8% | -1.1% |
| 2008 | 12.0% | -6.0% |
| 2009 | 9.7% | -19.3% |
| 2010 | 9.8% | +1.9% |
| 2011 | 9.8% | -0.8% |
| 2012 | 9.8% | +0.5% |
| 2013 | 9.6% | -1.8% |
| 2014 | 7.4% | -23.5% |
| 2015 | 9.6% | +30.4% |
| 2016 | 9.4% | -2.6% |
| 2017 | 9.1% | -2.5% |
| 2018 | 8.9% | -2.2% |
| 2019 | 8.9% | -0.6% |
| 2020 | 8.7% | -2.5% |
| 2021 | 8.6% | -0.9% |
| 2022 | 8.3% | -3.5% |
| 2023 | 7.8% | -5.3% |
| 2024 | 8.1% | +3.8% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 8.1% is below the median for high income countries, which is 9.5%, 85% of the median. (64 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 8.1% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 12.2%, 67% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Manufacturing jobs as a share of total employment in United Kingdom changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | +30.4% | 7.4% | 9.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 13.7% | 9.7% | 16.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 9.2% | 7.4% | 9.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 8.3% | 7.8% | 8.7% | 5 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
More work & labour data for United Kingdom
- 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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is manufacturing jobs as a share of total employment in United Kingdom?
- Manufacturing jobs as a share of total employment in United Kingdom was 8.1% in 2024, according to United Nations Industrial Development Organization – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest manufacturing jobs as a share of total employment recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 16.9% in 2000.
- What is the lowest manufacturing jobs as a share of total employment recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.4% in 2014.
- How does United Kingdom rank for manufacturing jobs as a share of total employment?
- United Kingdom ranks 102nd out of 152 countries with data for 2024.
- Is manufacturing jobs as a share of total employment rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is up 10.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Industrial Development Organization – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Manufacturing jobs as a share of total employment. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Manufacturing employment as a proportion of total employment - 13th ICLS (%).