Persons outside the labour force - % of total population in private in United Kingdom

United Kingdom: Persons outside the labour force - % of total population in private was 30.2% in 2019. ▼ Falling

Latest (2019)
30.2%
Change on year
down 1.0%
World rank
29th
of 45 countries
All-time high
36.6%
in 1983
All-time low
30.2%
in 2019
Years of data
37
1983–2019

Persons outside the labour force - % of total population in private in United Kingdom, 1983–2019

0102030401983200120191983: 36.6 Percentage1984: 35.6 Percentage1985: 34.1 Percentage1986: 34 Percentage1987: 33.5 Percentage1988: 32.9 Percentage1989: 31.8 Percentage1990: 31.5 Percentage1991: 31.9 Percentage1992: 32.4 Percentage1993: 32.9 Percentage1994: 33.2 Percentage1995: 33.3 Percentage1996: 33 Percentage1997: 32.7 Percentage1998: 32.8 Percentage1999: 32.7 Percentage2000: 32.4 Percentage2001: 32.8 Percentage2002: 32.5 Percentage2003: 32.4 Percentage2004: 32.3 Percentage2005: 31.9 Percentage2006: 31.4 Percentage2007: 31.6 Percentage2008: 31.3 Percentage2009: 31.5 Percentage2010: 31.7 Percentage2011: 31.7 Percentage2012: 31.5 Percentage2013: 31.3 Percentage2014: 31.2 Percentage2015: 31.1 Percentage2016: 30.8 Percentage2017: 30.8 Percentage2018: 30.5 Percentage2019: 30.2 Percentage

Source: Eurostat. Measured in Percentage.

Analysis

United Kingdom recorded 30.2% for persons outside the labour force - % of total population in private in 2019. That is the lowest value across all 37 years on record.

That represents a change of down 1.0% on the previous year and down 4.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, persons outside the labour force - % of total population in private in United Kingdom peaked at 36.6% in 1983 and was at its lowest, 30.2%, in 2019.

United Kingdom ranks 29th of 45 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

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

Persons outside the labour force - % of total population in private in United Kingdom, year by year

Annual values for Persons outside the labour force - % of total population in private households in United Kingdom, 1983 to 2019.
Year Percentage Change
1983 36.6%
1984 35.6% -2.7%
1985 34.1% -4.2%
1986 34.0% -0.3%
1987 33.5% -1.5%
1988 32.9% -1.8%
1989 31.8% -3.3%
1990 31.5% -0.9%
1991 31.9% +1.3%
1992 32.4% +1.6%
1993 32.9% +1.5%
1994 33.2% +0.9%
1995 33.3% +0.3%
1996 33.0% -0.9%
1997 32.7% -0.9%
1998 32.8% +0.3%
1999 32.7% -0.3%
2000 32.4% -0.9%
2001 32.8% +1.2%
2002 32.5% -0.9%
2003 32.4% -0.3%
2004 32.3% -0.3%
2005 31.9% -1.2%
2006 31.4% -1.6%
2007 31.6% +0.6%
2008 31.3% -0.9%
2009 31.5% +0.6%
2010 31.7% +0.6%
2011 31.7% +0.0%
2012 31.5% -0.6%
2013 31.3% -0.6%
2014 31.2% -0.3%
2015 31.1% -0.3%
2016 30.8% -1.0%
2017 30.8% +0.0%
2018 30.5% -1.0%
2019 30.2% -1.0%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 34.1% 31.8% 36.6% 7
1990s 32.6% 31.5% 33.3% 10
2000s 32.0% 31.3% 32.8% 10
2010s 31.1% 30.2% 31.7% 10

Countries ranked near United Kingdom

  1. 27 Latvia 30.7% compare
  2. 27 Latvia 30.7% compare
  3. 29 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 30.2% compare
  4. 31 Germany 29.7% compare
  5. 32 Lithuania 29.3% compare
  6. 32 Lithuania 29.3% 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 persons outside the labour force - % of total population in private in United Kingdom?
Persons outside the labour force - % of total population in private in United Kingdom was 30.2% in 2019, according to Eurostat.
What is the highest persons outside the labour force - % of total population in private recorded in United Kingdom?
The highest recorded value was 36.6% in 1983.
What is the lowest persons outside the labour force - % of total population in private recorded in United Kingdom?
The lowest recorded value was 30.2% in 2019.
How does United Kingdom rank for persons outside the labour force - % of total population in private?
United Kingdom ranks 29th out of 45 countries with data for 2019.
Is persons outside the labour force - % of total population in private rising or falling in United Kingdom?
Over the last ten years it is down 4.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
The figures come from Eurostat, published as part of Persons outside the labour force - % of total population in private households. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Persons outside the labour force - % of total population in private in United Kingdom. Statizoid, drawing on Eurostat. Retrieved 14 September 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/persons-outside-the-labour-force-percent-of-total-population-in-private-households-2/united-kingdom-2/

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About this data

Indicator
Persons outside the labour force - % of total population in private households
Unit
Percentage
Source
Eurostat
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Eurostat)
Coverage
47 places, 1,442 data points, 1983–2025
Last refreshed