Unemployment rate for persons ages 25 to 54 in United Kingdom

United Kingdom: Unemployment rate for persons ages 25 to 54 was 2.51 in 2019. ▼ Falling

Latest (2019)
2.51
Change on year
down 9.9%
World rank
61st
of 82 countries
All-time high
5.56
in 2011
All-time low
2.51
in 2019
Years of data
20
2000–2019

Unemployment rate for persons ages 25 to 54 in United Kingdom, 2000–2019

02462000200920192000: 4.22001: 3.62002: 3.82003: 3.52004: 3.32005: 3.22006: 3.82007: 3.52008: 3.92009: 5.42010: 5.52011: 5.62012: 5.42013: 5.12014: 4.32015: 3.82016: 3.42017: 2.92018: 2.82019: 2.5

Source: International Labour Organization.

Analysis

The most recent figure for unemployment rate for persons ages 25 to 54 in United Kingdom is 2.51, measured in 2019. That is the lowest value across all 20 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 9.9% on the previous year and down 53.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, unemployment rate for persons ages 25 to 54 in United Kingdom peaked at 5.56 in 2011 and was at its lowest, 2.51, in 2019.

That places United Kingdom 61st out of 82 countries with data for 2019, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 20 years of available data.

Unemployment rate for persons ages 25 to 54 in United Kingdom, year by year

Annual values for Unemployment rate for persons ages 25 to 54 (previous ILO definition - ICLS13) in United Kingdom, 2000 to 2019.
Year Value Change
2000 4.16
2001 3.57 -14.1%
2002 3.8 +6.6%
2003 3.48 -8.5%
2004 3.33 -4.2%
2005 3.22 -3.3%
2006 3.78 +17.4%
2007 3.53 -6.7%
2008 3.85 +9.2%
2009 5.35 +38.9%
2010 5.52 +3.0%
2011 5.56 +0.7%
2012 5.37 -3.3%
2013 5.13 -4.4%
2014 4.29 -16.3%
2015 3.76 -12.5%
2016 3.44 -8.5%
2017 2.87 -16.5%
2018 2.78 -3.1%
2019 2.51 -9.9%

United Kingdom compared with similar countries

  • United Kingdom's 2.51 is below the median for high income countries, which is 4.55, 55% of the median. (30 countries reporting)
  • United Kingdom's 2.51 is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 5.86, 43% of the median. (30 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 3.81 3.22 5.35 10
2010s 4.12 2.51 5.56 10

Countries ranked near United Kingdom

  1. 58 Slovenia 2.62 compare
  2. 59 Netherlands 2.6 compare
  3. 60 Bangladesh 2.54 compare
  4. 62 Trinidad and Tobago 2.47 compare
  5. 63 East Timor 2.43 compare
  6. 64 Ecuador 2.42 compare

See the full ranking of 82 places →

More work & labour data for United Kingdom

All data for United Kingdom →

Frequently asked questions

What is unemployment rate for persons ages 25 to 54 in United Kingdom?
Unemployment rate for persons ages 25 to 54 in United Kingdom was 2.51 in 2019, according to International Labour Organization.
What is the highest unemployment rate for persons ages 25 to 54 recorded in United Kingdom?
The highest recorded value was 5.56 in 2011.
What is the lowest unemployment rate for persons ages 25 to 54 recorded in United Kingdom?
The lowest recorded value was 2.51 in 2019.
How does United Kingdom rank for unemployment rate for persons ages 25 to 54?
United Kingdom ranks 61st out of 82 countries with data for 2019.
Is unemployment rate for persons ages 25 to 54 rising or falling in United Kingdom?
Over the last ten years it is down 53.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
The figures come from International Labour Organization, published as part of Unemployment rate for persons ages 25 to 54 (previous ILO definition - ICLS13). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Unemployment rate for persons ages 25 to 54 in United Kingdom. Statizoid, drawing on International Labour Organization. Retrieved 22 September 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/unemployment-rate-for-persons-ages-25-to-54-previous-ilo-definition-icls13/united-kingdom/

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About this data

Indicator
Unemployment rate for persons ages 25 to 54 (previous ILO definition - ICLS13)
Source
International Labour Organization
Licence
ILO Terms of Use (attribution required)
Coverage
82 places, 1,262 data points, 2000–2026
Last refreshed

With the aim of promoting international comparability, statistics presented on ILOSTAT are based on standard international definitions wherever feasible and may differ from official national figures. This series is based on the 13th ICLS definitions. For time series comparability, it includes countries that have implemented the 19th ICLS standards, for which data are also available in the Work Statistics -- 19th ICLS (WORK) database. Prime-age refers to persons aged 25 to 54 years. The unemployment rate conveys the number of persons who are unemployed as a percent of the labour force (i.e., the employed plus the unemployed). The unemployed comprise all persons of working age who were: a) without work during the reference period, i.e. were not in paid employment or self-employment; b) currently available for work, i.e. were available for paid employment or self-employment during the reference period; and c) seeking work, i.e. had taken specific steps in a specified recent period to seek paid employment or self-employment. For more information, refer to the Gender Equality and Non-Discrimination Indicators (GEND) database description.