Public sector employment as a share of total employment in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Public sector employment as a share of total employment was 28.87 in 2018. ▼ Falling
Public sector employment as a share of total employment in United Kingdom, 2005–2018
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2018, public sector employment as a share of total employment in United Kingdom stood at 28.87.
That represents a change of down 0.4% on the previous year and down 2.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, public sector employment as a share of total employment in United Kingdom peaked at 33.01 in 2005 and was at its lowest, 27.72, in 2015.
That places United Kingdom 11th out of 79 countries with data for 2018, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 14 years of available data.
Public sector employment as a share of total employment in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 33.01 | — |
| 2006 | 32.68 | -1.0% |
| 2007 | 32.74 | +0.2% |
| 2008 | 29.58 | -9.6% |
| 2009 | 29.25 | -1.1% |
| 2010 | 30.12 | +3.0% |
| 2011 | 29.55 | -1.9% |
| 2012 | 28.48 | -3.6% |
| 2013 | 28.29 | -0.6% |
| 2014 | 28.27 | -0.1% |
| 2015 | 27.72 | -1.9% |
| 2016 | 28.69 | +3.5% |
| 2017 | 28.97 | +1.0% |
| 2018 | 28.87 | -0.4% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 28.87 is above the median for high income countries, which is 23.54, 1.2× the median. (34 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 28.87 is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 24.43, 1.2× the median. (35 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 31.45 | 29.25 | 33.01 | 5 |
| 2010s | 28.77 | 27.72 | 30.12 | 9 |
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 public sector employment as a share of total employment in United Kingdom?
- Public sector employment as a share of total employment in United Kingdom was 28.87 in 2018, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest public sector employment as a share of total employment recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 33.01 in 2005.
- What is the lowest public sector employment as a share of total employment recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 27.72 in 2015.
- How does United Kingdom rank for public sector employment as a share of total employment?
- United Kingdom ranks 11th out of 79 countries with data for 2018.
- Is public sector employment as a share of total employment rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Public sector employment as a share of total employment. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 14 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).