Number of labour inspectors in United Kingdom

United Kingdom: Number of labour inspectors was 1,357 in 2024. ▲ Rising

Latest (2024)
1,357
Change on year
down 4.6%
World rank
10th
of 71 countries
All-time high
1,450
in 2011
All-time low
938
in 2017
Years of data
14
2011–2024

Number of labour inspectors in United Kingdom, 2011–2024

05001.0k1.5k2011201720242011: 1.4k2012: 1.4k2013: 1.4k2014: 9892015: 1.0k2016: 9802017: 9382018: 9852019: 9602020: 1.4k2021: 1.4k2022: 1.4k2023: 1.4k2024: 1.4k

Source: International Labour Organization.

Analysis

The most recent figure for number of labour inspectors in United Kingdom is 1,357, measured in 2024.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 4.6% on the previous year and up 37.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, number of labour inspectors in United Kingdom peaked at 1,450 in 2011 and was at its lowest, 938, in 2017.

United Kingdom ranks 10th of 71 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 14 years of available data.

Number of labour inspectors in United Kingdom, year by year

Annual values for Number of labour inspectors in United Kingdom, 2011 to 2024.
Year Value Change
2011 1,450
2012 1,432 -1.2%
2013 1,367 -4.5%
2014 989 -27.7%
2015 1,031 +4.2%
2016 980 -4.9%
2017 938 -4.3%
2018 985 +5.0%
2019 960 -2.5%
2020 1,434 +49.4%
2021 1,381 -3.7%
2022 1,450 +5.0%
2023 1,422 -1.9%
2024 1,357 -4.6%

United Kingdom compared with similar countries

  • United Kingdom's 1,357 is above the median for high income countries, which is 263, 5.2× the median. (43 countries reporting)
  • United Kingdom's 1,357 is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 294, 4.6× the median. (33 countries reporting)

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Number of labour inspectors 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.

YearChange FromTo
2020 +49.4% 960 1,434
2014 -27.7% 1,367 989

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2010s 1,126 938 1,450 9
2020s 1,409 1,357 1,450 5

Countries ranked near United Kingdom

  1. 7 Thailand 1,640 compare
  2. 8 Poland 1,505 compare
  3. 9 Romania 1,499 compare
  4. 11 Colombia 1,159 compare
  5. 12 United States 995 compare
  6. 13 Turkey 920 compare

See the full ranking of 71 places →

More work & labour data for United Kingdom

All data for United Kingdom →

Frequently asked questions

What is number of labour inspectors in United Kingdom?
Number of labour inspectors in United Kingdom was 1,357 in 2024, according to International Labour Organization.
What is the highest number of labour inspectors recorded in United Kingdom?
The highest recorded value was 1,450 in 2011.
What is the lowest number of labour inspectors recorded in United Kingdom?
The lowest recorded value was 938 in 2017.
How does United Kingdom rank for number of labour inspectors?
United Kingdom ranks 10th out of 71 countries with data for 2024.
Is number of labour inspectors rising or falling in United Kingdom?
Over the last ten years it is up 37.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
The figures come from International Labour Organization, published as part of Number of labour inspectors. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Number of labour inspectors in United Kingdom. Statizoid, drawing on International Labour Organization. Retrieved 21 September 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/number-of-labour-inspectors/united-kingdom/

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About this data

Indicator
Number of labour inspectors
Source
International Labour Organization
Licence
ILO Terms of Use (attribution required)
Coverage
71 places, 763 data points, 2008–2024
Last refreshed

Labour inspectors are public officials or other authorities who are responsible for three key labour inspection activities: a) securing the enforcement of the legal provisions relating to conditions of work and the protection of workers while engaged in their work, such as provisions relating to hours, wages, safety, health and welfare, the employment of children and young persons, and other connected matters, in so far as such provisions are enforceable by labour inspectors; b) supplying technical information and advice to employers and workers concerning the most effective means of complying with the legal provisions; c) bringing to the notice of the competent authority defects or abuses not specifically covered by existing legal provisions. Labour inspectors have the authority to initiate processes that may lead to legal action. For more information, refer to the Occupational Safety and Health Statistics (OSH) database description.