Unemployed persons by previous occupation in United Kingdom

United Kingdom: Unemployed persons by previous occupation was 1,278 Thousand persons in 2019. ▼ Falling

Latest (2019)
1,278 Thousand persons
Change on year
down 5.6%
World rank
6th
of 45 countries
All-time high
2,940 Thousand persons
in 1993
All-time low
1,278 Thousand persons
in 2019
Years of data
28
1992–2019

Unemployed persons by previous occupation in United Kingdom, 1992–2019

01.0k2.0k3.0k1992200520191992: 2.8k Thousand persons1993: 2.9k Thousand persons1994: 2.7k Thousand persons1995: 2.5k Thousand persons1996: 2.3k Thousand persons1997: 2.0k Thousand persons1998: 1.8k Thousand persons1999: 1.7k Thousand persons2000: 1.6k Thousand persons2001: 1.4k Thousand persons2002: 1.5k Thousand persons2003: 1.4k Thousand persons2004: 1.4k Thousand persons2005: 1.4k Thousand persons2006: 1.6k Thousand persons2007: 1.6k Thousand persons2008: 1.8k Thousand persons2009: 2.4k Thousand persons2010: 2.5k Thousand persons2011: 2.6k Thousand persons2012: 2.5k Thousand persons2013: 2.4k Thousand persons2014: 2.0k Thousand persons2015: 1.8k Thousand persons2016: 1.6k Thousand persons2017: 1.5k Thousand persons2018: 1.4k Thousand persons2019: 1.3k Thousand persons

Source: Eurostat. Measured in Thousand persons.

Analysis

The most recent figure for unemployed persons by previous occupation in United Kingdom is 1,278 Thousand persons, measured in 2019. That is the lowest value across all 28 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 5.6% on the previous year and down 46.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, unemployed persons by previous occupation in United Kingdom peaked at 2,940 Thousand persons in 1993 and was at its lowest, 1,278 Thousand persons, in 2019.

That places United Kingdom 6th out of 45 countries with data for 2019, putting it in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 28 years of available data.

Unemployed persons by previous occupation in United Kingdom, year by year

Annual values for Unemployed persons by previous occupation in United Kingdom, 1992 to 2019.
Year Thousand persons Change
1992 2,790 Thousand persons
1993 2,940 Thousand persons +5.4%
1994 2,742 Thousand persons -6.7%
1995 2,474 Thousand persons -9.7%
1996 2,344 Thousand persons -5.3%
1997 2,035 Thousand persons -13.2%
1998 1,787 Thousand persons -12.2%
1999 1,728 Thousand persons -3.3%
2000 1,604 Thousand persons -7.2%
2001 1,357 Thousand persons -15.4%
2002 1,471 Thousand persons +8.4%
2003 1,416 Thousand persons -3.7%
2004 1,363 Thousand persons -3.7%
2005 1,361 Thousand persons -0.1%
2006 1,622 Thousand persons +19.2%
2007 1,596 Thousand persons -1.6%
2008 1,761 Thousand persons +10.3%
2009 2,378 Thousand persons +35.0%
2010 2,471 Thousand persons +3.9%
2011 2,566 Thousand persons +3.8%
2012 2,543 Thousand persons -0.9%
2013 2,447 Thousand persons -3.8%
2014 2,000 Thousand persons -18.3%
2015 1,758 Thousand persons -12.1%
2016 1,605 Thousand persons -8.7%
2017 1,451 Thousand persons -9.6%
2018 1,354 Thousand persons -6.7%
2019 1,278 Thousand persons -5.6%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 2,355 Thousand persons 1,728 Thousand persons 2,940 Thousand persons 8
2000s 1,593 Thousand persons 1,357 Thousand persons 2,378 Thousand persons 10
2010s 1,947 Thousand persons 1,278 Thousand persons 2,566 Thousand persons 10

Countries ranked near United Kingdom

  1. 3 France 2,451 Thousand persons compare
  2. 4 Germany 1,692 Thousand persons compare
  3. 5 Italy 1,576 Thousand persons compare
  4. 6 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 1,278 Thousand persons compare
  5. 8 Poland 557.9 Thousand persons compare
  6. 8 Poland 557.9 Thousand persons 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 unemployed persons by previous occupation in United Kingdom?
Unemployed persons by previous occupation in United Kingdom was 1,278 Thousand persons in 2019, according to Eurostat.
What is the highest unemployed persons by previous occupation recorded in United Kingdom?
The highest recorded value was 2,940 Thousand persons in 1993.
What is the lowest unemployed persons by previous occupation recorded in United Kingdom?
The lowest recorded value was 1,278 Thousand persons in 2019.
How does United Kingdom rank for unemployed persons by previous occupation?
United Kingdom ranks 6th out of 45 countries with data for 2019.
Is unemployed persons by previous occupation rising or falling in United Kingdom?
Over the last ten years it is down 46.3%. 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 Unemployed persons by previous occupation. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Unemployed persons by previous occupation in United Kingdom. Statizoid, drawing on Eurostat. Retrieved 30 August 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/unemployed-persons-by-previous-occupation/united-kingdom-2/

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About this data

Indicator
Unemployed persons by previous occupation
Unit
Thousand persons
Source
Eurostat
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Eurostat)
Coverage
47 places, 1,324 data points, 1992–2025
Last refreshed