Female share of the labor force in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Female share of the labor force was 47.8% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Female share of the labor force in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 1990–2025
Source: International Labour Organization and UN Population Division, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland recorded 47.8% for female share of the labor force in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, female share of the labor force in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland peaked at 48.0% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 43.7%, in 1990.
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 43rd of 186 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Female share of the labor force in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 43.7% | — |
| 1991 | 43.9% | +0.4% |
| 1992 | 44.1% | +0.6% |
| 1993 | 44.5% | +0.8% |
| 1994 | 44.6% | +0.3% |
| 1995 | 44.7% | +0.2% |
| 1996 | 45.0% | +0.6% |
| 1997 | 45.2% | +0.5% |
| 1998 | 45.3% | +0.2% |
| 1999 | 45.5% | +0.4% |
| 2000 | 45.6% | +0.3% |
| 2001 | 45.7% | +0.3% |
| 2002 | 46.0% | +0.6% |
| 2003 | 45.8% | -0.3% |
| 2004 | 46.1% | +0.6% |
| 2005 | 46.2% | +0.1% |
| 2006 | 46.3% | +0.1% |
| 2007 | 46.1% | -0.3% |
| 2008 | 46.2% | +0.1% |
| 2009 | 46.4% | +0.5% |
| 2010 | 46.4% | +0.1% |
| 2011 | 46.5% | +0.2% |
| 2012 | 46.5% | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 46.7% | +0.5% |
| 2014 | 46.8% | +0.2% |
| 2015 | 46.9% | +0.1% |
| 2016 | 47.0% | +0.3% |
| 2017 | 47.1% | +0.3% |
| 2018 | 47.2% | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 47.5% | +0.8% |
| 2020 | 47.7% | +0.4% |
| 2021 | 48.0% | +0.5% |
| 2022 | 47.7% | -0.5% |
| 2023 | 47.5% | -0.4% |
| 2024 | 47.8% | +0.6% |
| 2025 | 47.8% | -0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 44.7% | 43.7% | 45.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 46.0% | 45.6% | 46.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 46.9% | 46.4% | 47.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 47.8% | 47.5% | 48.0% | 6 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
- 40 North Korea 48.2% compare
- 41 Finland 48.1% compare
- 42 Solomon Islands 48.0% compare
- 44 Guinea-Bissau 47.7% compare
- 45 Australia 47.7% compare
- 46 Eritrea 47.7% compare
More work & labour data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
- 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)
- 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)
- Legislation on sexual harassment in employment 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Criminal sanctions or compensation for workplace sexual harassment 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Women can take the same jobs as men 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 61.4% (2025)
All data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland →
Frequently asked questions
- What is female share of the labor force in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- Female share of the labor force in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was 47.8% in 2025, according to International Labour Organization and UN Population Division, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest female share of the labor force recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 48.0% in 2021.
- What is the lowest female share of the labor force recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 43.7% in 1990.
- How does United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank for female share of the labor force?
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 43rd out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is female share of the labor force rising or falling in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization and UN Population Division, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Female share of the labor force. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 36 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of the working-age population economically active (employed or unemployed) who are female.