Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) (national estimate) in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) (national estimate) was 5.2% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in United Kingdom, 1971–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
United Kingdom recorded 5.2% for unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in 2025.
The figure is up 14.2% on the previous year and down 8.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in United Kingdom peaked at 13.1% in 1982 and was at its lowest, 3.5%, in 1973.
That places United Kingdom 79th out of 181 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 55 years of available data.
Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) (national estimate) in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 4.5% | — |
| 1972 | 5.0% | +11.1% |
| 1973 | 3.5% | -30.0% |
| 1974 | 3.6% | +2.9% |
| 1975 | 5.4% | +50.0% |
| 1976 | 7.0% | +29.6% |
| 1977 | 7.3% | +4.3% |
| 1978 | 5.9% | -19.5% |
| 1979 | 4.6% | -22.5% |
| 1980 | 4.9% | +7.6% |
| 1981 | 12.9% | +163.2% |
| 1982 | 13.1% | +1.6% |
| 1983 | 12.0% | -8.5% |
| 1984 | 11.5% | -3.9% |
| 1985 | 11.8% | +2.7% |
| 1986 | 11.9% | +1.0% |
| 1987 | 11.4% | -4.2% |
| 1988 | 9.3% | -18.9% |
| 1989 | 7.6% | -18.0% |
| 1990 | 7.2% | -4.9% |
| 1991 | 9.4% | +30.3% |
| 1992 | 11.6% | +22.8% |
| 1993 | 11.7% | +1.1% |
| 1994 | 10.6% | -9.5% |
| 1995 | 9.4% | -11.0% |
| 1996 | 8.9% | -5.3% |
| 1997 | 7.6% | -15.4% |
| 1998 | 7.0% | -7.4% |
| 1999 | 7.5% | +6.9% |
| 2000 | 6.5% | -12.7% |
| 2001 | 6.2% | -5.6% |
| 2002 | 6.3% | +1.7% |
| 2003 | 6.1% | -3.2% |
| 2004 | 4.9% | -18.5% |
| 2005 | 5.3% | +7.2% |
| 2006 | 5.8% | +10.2% |
| 2007 | 5.7% | -2.9% |
| 2008 | 6.2% | +9.9% |
| 2009 | 8.7% | +39.4% |
| 2010 | 8.8% | +1.4% |
| 2011 | 8.8% | +0.4% |
| 2012 | 8.8% | -0.2% |
| 2013 | 8.3% | -6.1% |
| 2014 | 6.7% | -19.0% |
| 2015 | 5.7% | -14.7% |
| 2016 | 5.0% | -11.6% |
| 2017 | 4.6% | -8.3% |
| 2018 | 4.2% | -8.8% |
| 2019 | 3.8% | -9.1% |
| 2020 | 4.8% | +25.2% |
| 2021 | 5.1% | +5.9% |
| 2022 | 3.9% | -23.1% |
| 2023 | 4.3% | +10.9% |
| 2024 | 4.6% | +5.4% |
| 2025 | 5.2% | +14.2% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 5.2% is above the median for high income countries, which is 4.8%, 1.1× the median. (75 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 5.2% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 5.4%, 97% of the median. (53 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) (national estimate) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | +163.2% | 4.9% | 12.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 5.2% | 3.5% | 7.3% | 9 |
| 1980s | 10.7% | 4.9% | 13.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 9.1% | 7.0% | 11.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 6.2% | 4.9% | 8.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.5% | 3.8% | 8.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.7% | 3.9% | 5.2% | 6 |
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 unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in United Kingdom?
- Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in United Kingdom was 5.2% in 2025, according to Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, male (% of male labor force) recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 13.1% in 1982.
- What is the lowest unemployment, male (% of male labor force) recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.5% in 1973.
- How does United Kingdom rank for unemployment, male (% of male labor force)?
- United Kingdom ranks 79th out of 181 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, male (% of male labor force) rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is down 8.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
- The figures come from Labour Force Statistics database (LFS), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) (national estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment. Definitions of labor force and unemployment differ by country.