Self-employed persons by occupation in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Self-employed persons by occupation was 4,881 Thousand persons in 2019. ▲ Rising
Latest (2019)
4,881 Thousand persons
Change on year
up 4.2%
World rank
3rd
of 45 countries
All-time high
4,881 Thousand persons
in 2019
All-time low
2,362 Thousand persons
in 1983
Years of data
37
1983–2019
Self-employed persons by occupation in United Kingdom, 1983–2019
Source: Eurostat. Measured in Thousand persons.
Analysis
The most recent figure for self-employed persons by occupation in United Kingdom is 4,881 Thousand persons, measured in 2019. That is the highest value across all 37 years on record.
The figure is up 4.2% on the previous year and up 27.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, self-employed persons by occupation in United Kingdom peaked at 4,881 Thousand persons in 2019 and was at its lowest, 2,362 Thousand persons, in 1983.
United Kingdom ranks 3rd of 45 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 37 years of available data.
Self-employed persons by occupation in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | Thousand persons | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1983 | 2,362 Thousand persons | — |
| 1984 | 2,659 Thousand persons | +12.6% |
| 1985 | 2,758 Thousand persons | +3.7% |
| 1986 | 2,788 Thousand persons | +1.1% |
| 1987 | 3,077 Thousand persons | +10.4% |
| 1988 | 3,216 Thousand persons | +4.5% |
| 1989 | 3,485 Thousand persons | +8.3% |
| 1990 | 3,532 Thousand persons | +1.3% |
| 1991 | 3,373 Thousand persons | -4.5% |
| 1992 | 3,201 Thousand persons | -5.1% |
| 1993 | 3,164 Thousand persons | -1.2% |
| 1994 | 3,273 Thousand persons | +3.5% |
| 1995 | 3,337 Thousand persons | +2.0% |
| 1996 | 3,277 Thousand persons | -1.8% |
| 1997 | 3,325 Thousand persons | +1.5% |
| 1998 | 3,254 Thousand persons | -2.1% |
| 1999 | 3,266 Thousand persons | +0.4% |
| 2000 | 3,211 Thousand persons | -1.7% |
| 2001 | 3,240 Thousand persons | +0.9% |
| 2002 | 3,296 Thousand persons | +1.7% |
| 2003 | 3,482 Thousand persons | +5.7% |
| 2004 | 3,579 Thousand persons | +2.8% |
| 2005 | 3,611 Thousand persons | +0.9% |
| 2006 | 3,714 Thousand persons | +2.8% |
| 2007 | 3,782 Thousand persons | +1.9% |
| 2008 | 3,809 Thousand persons | +0.7% |
| 2009 | 3,835 Thousand persons | +0.7% |
| 2010 | 3,941 Thousand persons | +2.8% |
| 2011 | 4,000 Thousand persons | +1.5% |
| 2012 | 4,157 Thousand persons | +3.9% |
| 2013 | 4,201 Thousand persons | +1.1% |
| 2014 | 4,487 Thousand persons | +6.8% |
| 2015 | 4,487 Thousand persons | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 4,692 Thousand persons | +4.6% |
| 2017 | 4,723 Thousand persons | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 4,685 Thousand persons | -0.8% |
| 2019 | 4,881 Thousand persons | +4.2% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 4,881 Thousand persons is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 425.95 Thousand persons, 11.5× the median. (34 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 4,881 Thousand persons is above the median for high income countries, which is 478.5 Thousand persons, 10.2× the median. (31 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 2,907 Thousand persons | 2,362 Thousand persons | 3,485 Thousand persons | 7 |
| 1990s | 3,300 Thousand persons | 3,164 Thousand persons | 3,532 Thousand persons | 10 |
| 2000s | 3,556 Thousand persons | 3,211 Thousand persons | 3,835 Thousand persons | 10 |
| 2010s | 4,425 Thousand persons | 3,941 Thousand persons | 4,881 Thousand persons | 10 |
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 self-employed persons by occupation in United Kingdom?
- Self-employed persons by occupation in United Kingdom was 4,881 Thousand persons in 2019, according to Eurostat.
- What is the highest self-employed persons by occupation recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 4,881 Thousand persons in 2019.
- What is the lowest self-employed persons by occupation recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 2,362 Thousand persons in 1983.
- How does United Kingdom rank for self-employed persons by occupation?
- United Kingdom ranks 3rd out of 45 countries with data for 2019.
- Is self-employed persons by occupation rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is up 27.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
- The figures come from Eurostat, published as part of Self-employed persons by occupation. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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