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 December 2024 to February 2025, the number of people aged 16+ in employment was 34.00 million, and the employment rate for people aged 16-64 was 75.1%.
The UK unemployment rate was 4.4%, and 1.57 million people aged 16+ were unemployed.
9.22 million people aged 16-64 were economically inactive, and the inactivity rate was 21.4%.
Overview of the labour market
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Employment in the UK: Economic indicators
Employment data tells us about the strength of the labour market. Find the latest data on UK employment levels and rates.
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Unemployment in the UK: Economic indicators
Unemployment data tells us about the strength of the labour market. Find the latest data on UK unemployment levels and rates.
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Unemployment international comparisons: Economic indicators
Unemployment data tells us about the strength of the labour market. Find the latest data on unemployment in several major world 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
In the 2023/24 academic year, there were 736,500 people participating in an apprenticeship in England, with 339,600 apprenticeship starts and 178,200 apprenticeship achievements.
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: Economic indicators
Earnings data gives us information on the labour market and household finances. Find the latest data on earnings for men and women in the UK.
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.