Unemployed population — Unemployment in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Unemployed population — Unemployment was 1,740 Persons in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Unemployed population — Unemployment in United Kingdom, 1956–2025
Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Measured in Persons.
Analysis
The most recent figure for unemployed population — unemployment in United Kingdom is 1,740 Persons, measured in 2025.
The figure is up 15.4% on the previous year and down 2.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployed population — unemployment in United Kingdom peaked at 3,216 Persons in 1984 and was at its lowest, 215 Persons, in 1956.
United Kingdom ranks 9th of 35 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Unemployed population — Unemployment in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | Persons | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1956 | 215 Persons | — |
| 1957 | 276 Persons | +28.4% |
| 1958 | 406 Persons | +47.1% |
| 1959 | 420 Persons | +3.4% |
| 1960 | 326 Persons | -22.4% |
| 1961 | 287 Persons | -12.0% |
| 1962 | 406 Persons | +41.5% |
| 1963 | 496 Persons | +22.2% |
| 1964 | 349 Persons | -29.6% |
| 1965 | 299 Persons | -14.3% |
| 1966 | 281 Persons | -6.0% |
| 1967 | 503 Persons | +79.0% |
| 1968 | 542 Persons | +7.8% |
| 1969 | 518 Persons | -4.4% |
| 1970 | 555 Persons | +7.1% |
| 1971 | 696 Persons | +25.4% |
| 1972 | 778 Persons | +11.8% |
| 1973 | 557 Persons | -28.4% |
| 1974 | 528 Persons | -5.2% |
| 1975 | 838 Persons | +58.7% |
| 1976 | 1,266 Persons | +51.1% |
| 1977 | 1,359 Persons | +7.3% |
| 1978 | 1,343 Persons | -1.2% |
| 1979 | 1,234 Persons | -8.1% |
| 1980 | 1,513 Persons | +22.6% |
| 1981 | 2,395 Persons | +58.3% |
| 1982 | 2,770 Persons | +15.7% |
| 1983 | 2,984 Persons | +7.7% |
| 1984 | 3,216 Persons | +7.8% |
| 1985 | 3,096 Persons | -3.7% |
| 1986 | 2,946 Persons | -4.8% |
| 1987 | 3,012 Persons | +2.2% |
| 1988 | 2,485 Persons | -17.5% |
| 1989 | 2,075 Persons | -16.5% |
| 1990 | 1,974 Persons | -4.9% |
| 1991 | 2,391 Persons | +21.1% |
| 1992 | 2,732 Persons | +14.3% |
| 1993 | 2,889 Persons | +5.7% |
| 1994 | 2,685 Persons | -7.1% |
| 1995 | 2,406 Persons | -10.4% |
| 1996 | 2,281 Persons | -5.2% |
| 1997 | 1,985 Persons | -13.0% |
| 1998 | 1,723 Persons | -13.2% |
| 1999 | 1,697 Persons | -1.5% |
| 2000 | 1,587 Persons | -6.5% |
| 2001 | 1,488 Persons | -6.2% |
| 2002 | 1,528 Persons | +2.7% |
| 2003 | 1,488 Persons | -2.6% |
| 2004 | 1,422 Persons | -4.4% |
| 2005 | 1,462 Persons | +2.8% |
| 2006 | 1,669 Persons | +14.1% |
| 2007 | 1,654 Persons | -0.9% |
| 2008 | 1,786 Persons | +8.0% |
| 2009 | 2,402 Persons | +34.5% |
| 2010 | 2,496 Persons | +3.9% |
| 2011 | 2,592 Persons | +3.8% |
| 2012 | 2,570 Persons | -0.8% |
| 2013 | 2,472 Persons | -3.8% |
| 2014 | 2,025 Persons | -18.1% |
| 2015 | 1,780 Persons | -12.1% |
| 2016 | 1,633 Persons | -8.2% |
| 2017 | 1,476 Persons | -9.6% |
| 2018 | 1,380 Persons | -6.5% |
| 2019 | 1,314 Persons | -4.8% |
| 2020 | 1,573 Persons | +19.7% |
| 2021 | 1,546 Persons | -1.7% |
| 2022 | 1,304 Persons | -15.7% |
| 2023 | 1,406 Persons | +7.9% |
| 2024 | 1,508 Persons | +7.3% |
| 2025 | 1,740 Persons | +15.4% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 1,740 Persons is above the median for high income countries, which is 338.16 Persons, 5.1× the median. (30 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 1,740 Persons is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 307.41 Persons, 5.7× the median. (22 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Unemployed population — Unemployment in United Kingdom changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1967 | +79.0% | 281 Persons | 503 Persons |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 329.25 Persons | 215 Persons | 420 Persons | 4 |
| 1960s | 400.7 Persons | 281 Persons | 542 Persons | 10 |
| 1970s | 915.4 Persons | 528 Persons | 1,359 Persons | 10 |
| 1980s | 2,649 Persons | 1,513 Persons | 3,216 Persons | 10 |
| 1990s | 2,276 Persons | 1,697 Persons | 2,889 Persons | 10 |
| 2000s | 1,649 Persons | 1,422 Persons | 2,402 Persons | 10 |
| 2010s | 1,974 Persons | 1,314 Persons | 2,592 Persons | 10 |
| 2020s | 1,513 Persons | 1,304 Persons | 1,740 Persons | 6 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
- 6 France 2,433 Persons compare
- 6 Netherlands 396.12 Persons compare
- 7 Colombia 2,326 Persons compare
- 7 Lithuania 107.83 Persons compare
- 8 Japan 1,758 Persons compare
- 8 Latvia 65.8 Persons compare
- 9 Estonia 56.17 Persons compare
- 10 Germany 1,692 Persons compare
- 10 Slovenia 40.15 Persons compare
- 11 Mexico 1,612 Persons compare
- 12 Italy 1,576 Persons compare
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 unemployed population — unemployment in United Kingdom?
- Unemployed population — unemployment in United Kingdom was 1,740 Persons in 2025, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
- What is the highest unemployed population — unemployment recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 3,216 Persons in 1984.
- What is the lowest unemployed population — unemployment recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 215 Persons in 1956.
- How does United Kingdom rank for unemployed population — unemployment?
- United Kingdom ranks 9th out of 35 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployed population — unemployment rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
- The figures come from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, published as part of Unemployed population — Unemployment. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 70 observations, free to reuse under OECD Terms and Conditions (attribution required).
About this data
The infra-annual dataflow on the unemployed population is a subset of the infra-annual labour statistics database, which contains predominantly monthly and quarterly statistics on the unemployed population by age groups (15+, 15-24, 25-54, 55-64, 15-64 and 15-74 where available) and sex and associated statistical methodological information and associated statistical methodological information, for the OECD member countries and for selected other economies. Chile, Costa Rica, and the United Kingdom publish Labour Force Survey (LFS) data using a rolling quarter methodology. The OECD treats the middle month of the rolling quarter as the reference month. As a result, the publication of monthly LFS data for these countries may be delayed by one month or more relative to the OECD reference month. The unemployed are persons in their working age who, in the reference period, do not have a job; are available for work; and, have taken specific steps to find a job. The infra-annual labour statistics compiled for all OECD member countries, are drawn from Labour Force Surveys based on definition provided by the 19th Conference of Labour Statisticians in 2013. The uniform application of these definitions across all OECD member countries results in estimates that are internationally comparable.