UK Labour Market Statistics
This paper provides the latest statistics and analysis of employment, unemployment, economic inactivity and earnings in the UK.
Table of contents
Overview
In July to September 2024, the number of people aged 16+ in employment was 33.31 million, and the employment rate for people aged 16-64 was 74.8%.
The UK unemployment rate was 4.3%, and 1.49 million people aged 16+ were unemployed.
9.25 million people aged 16-64 were economically inactive, and the inactivity rate was 21.8%.
Overview of the labour market
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Employment - National: Key Economic Indicators
A summary of the latest data on employment in the UK.
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Unemployment - National: Key Economic Indicators
Data on unemployment in the UK.
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Unemployment - International Comparisons: Key Economic Indicators
Unemployment: International Comparisons: Data on harmonised unemployment rates for major international economies.
People in the labour market
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Youth unemployment statistics
This briefing presents the latest statistics on youth unemployment in the UK as well as comparisons with other OECD countries.
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Unemployment by ethnic background
This short paper summarises trends in unemployment rates and looks at how rates vary by ethnicity, age and sex.
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Disabled people in employment
This briefing describes the ONS's employment statistics for disabled people and the government’s programmes to support disabled people in work.
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Women and the UK economy
This briefing covers women’s participation in business and the labour market, including breakdowns by industry, occupation, region, ethnicity and disability.
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NEET: Young People Not in Education, Employment or Training
NEET statistics measure the number of 16-24 year olds who are not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET).
Components of the labour market
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Employment status
This briefing provides an overview of the legal concept of employment status and reviews and proposals for reform of the law in this area
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Constituency data: public sector employment
This page provides constituency-level data on the number and percentage of public sector employees in Great Britain.
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Trade unions and industrial relations
This briefing covers the rules governing trade unions, the rights of union members, collective bargaining, strikes and other industrial action
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Apprenticeship statistics for England
This note presents and analyses data on the number of people starting apprenticeships in England and statistics for Parliamentary Constituencies in England.
People claiming unemployment benefits
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People claiming unemployment benefits by constituency
This paper provides figures for the number of people claiming unemployment benefits (the “claimant count”) for the UK and by parliamentary constituency.
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Constituency data: people claiming unemployment benefits
Explore constituency-level data on people claiming unemployment benefits using the interactive dashboard
Earnings
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Average earnings by age and region
This statistical note and data tool shows how average wages have changed over time by region of the UK and pay for different age groups.
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The gender pay gap
This briefing paper provides statistics on the size of the gender pay gap in the UK and how it varies by factors such as age, occupation and location.
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National Minimum Wage statistics
This briefing looks at trends in the UK National Minimum Wage, minimum Wage jobs and how the UK compares internationally.
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Constituency data: wages
Interactive dashboard providing constituency-level data on wages, expressed as the median gross weekly pay for full-time employees
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Average Earnings: Key Economic Indicators
Average Earnings: Regularly updated data on average weekly earnings, including breakdowns by public and private sectors.
Understanding labour market statistics
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Understanding statistics on employment, unemployment and earnings
This note explains the meaning of different concepts within labour market statistics and identifies the key measures and sources to use.
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Universal Credit and the claimant count
This briefing paper explains how Universal Credit has increased the number of people claiming unemployment benefits, by requiring a broader group of claimants to look for work than was the case under Jobseeker’s Allowance. In January 2019, the Department for Work and Pensions published an ‘alternative’ claimant count for the first time. This models what the claimant count would have been if Universal Credit had been fully in place since 2013.