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 30.3% in 2020. ▼ Falling

Latest (2020)
30.3%
Change on year
up 1.3%
World rank
29th
of 45 countries
All-time high
32.8%
in 1998
All-time low
29.9%
in 2019
Years of data
23
1998–2020

Persons outside the labour force - % of total population in private in United Kingdom, 1998–2020

01020301998200920201998: 32.8 Percentage1999: 32.1 Percentage2000: 32.2 Percentage2001: 32.2 Percentage2002: 32 Percentage2003: 32 Percentage2004: 32 Percentage2005: 31.7 Percentage2006: 31.4 Percentage2007: 31.4 Percentage2008: 31.2 Percentage2009: 31.6 Percentage2010: 31.7 Percentage2011: 31.6 Percentage2012: 31.2 Percentage2013: 31.1 Percentage2014: 31.2 Percentage2015: 30.9 Percentage2016: 30.8 Percentage2017: 30.6 Percentage2018: 30.3 Percentage2019: 29.9 Percentage2020: 30.3 Percentage

Source: Eurostat. Measured in Percentage.

Analysis

In 2020, persons outside the labour force - % of total population in private in United Kingdom stood at 30.3%.

That represents a change of up 1.3% on the previous year and down 4.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, persons outside the labour force - % of total population in private in United Kingdom peaked at 32.8% in 1998 and was at its lowest, 29.9%, in 2019.

That places United Kingdom 29th out of 45 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 23 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 - quarterly data in United Kingdom, 1998 to 2020.
Year Percentage Change
1998 32.8%
1999 32.1% -2.1%
2000 32.2% +0.3%
2001 32.2% +0.0%
2002 32.0% -0.6%
2003 32.0% +0.0%
2004 32.0% +0.0%
2005 31.7% -0.9%
2006 31.4% -0.9%
2007 31.4% +0.0%
2008 31.2% -0.6%
2009 31.6% +1.3%
2010 31.7% +0.3%
2011 31.6% -0.3%
2012 31.2% -1.3%
2013 31.1% -0.3%
2014 31.2% +0.3%
2015 30.9% -1.0%
2016 30.8% -0.3%
2017 30.6% -0.6%
2018 30.3% -1.0%
2019 29.9% -1.3%
2020 30.3% +1.3%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 32.5% 32.1% 32.8% 2
2000s 31.8% 31.2% 32.2% 10
2010s 30.9% 29.9% 31.7% 10
2020s 30.3% 30.3% 30.3% 1

Countries ranked near United Kingdom

  1. 26 Czechia 31.2% compare
  2. 26 Portugal 31.2% compare
  3. 28 Austria 30.9% compare
  4. 29 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 30.3% compare
  5. 31 Germany 29.7% compare
  6. 32 Ireland 29.2% 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 30.3% in 2020, 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 32.8% in 1998.
What is the lowest persons outside the labour force - % of total population in private recorded in United Kingdom?
The lowest recorded value was 29.9% 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 2020.
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 4.4%. 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 - quarterly data. 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/united-kingdom-2/

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About this data

Indicator
Persons outside the labour force - % of total population in private households - quarterly data
Unit
Percentage
Source
Eurostat
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Eurostat)
Coverage
47 places, 1,257 data points, 1998–2026
Last refreshed