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Economy & jobs Statistics · Country

Labour force participation in United Kingdom

1990 – 2025 · 36 data points 19 of 41 · Countries Updated 21 Oct 2026
Economy & jobs · United Kingdom

Source: World Bank — World Development Indicators, 1990 – 2025

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Overview 5 figures People 13 figures Economy 11 figures Education 4 figures Climate 1 figure
Latest value · 2025 61.4% −0.2 pp since 2024
Countries · 2025 19 of 41 Place 1 is the highest value.
since 2015 −0.9 pp
vs World +0.4 pp World: 61.0% · 2025
Labour force participation, 1990 – 2025 percent · United Kingdom · World
−0.9 pp since 2015
United Kingdom World

Source: World Bank — World Development Indicators, 1990 – 2025

Compared with Labour force participation · percent
United Kingdom
61.4%
World
61.0%

Source: World Bank — World Development Indicators

The series at a glance United Kingdom · 1990 – 2025
Latest value 61.4% · 2025
First value 62.4% · 1990
Highest 62.6% · 2019
Lowest 60.6% · 1995
Data points 36

By year

All years · 1990 – 2025

YearUnited KingdomChange World
2025 61.4% −0.2 pp 61.0%
2024 61.6% −0.3 pp 61.1%
2023 61.8% −0.1 pp 61.2%
2022 61.9% −0.1 pp 60.7%
2021 62.0% −0.6 pp 60.4%
2020 62.6% −0.1 pp 59.6%
2019 62.6% +0.0 pp 61.0%
2018 62.6% +0.2 pp 61.2%
2017 62.4% +0.0 pp 61.3%
2016 62.4% +0.2 pp 61.5%
2015 62.2% +0.1 pp 61.6%
2014 62.1% +0.1 pp 61.8%
2013 62.0% +0.0 pp 62.0%
2012 62.0% +0.2 pp 62.2%
2011 61.8% −0.0 pp 62.4%
2010 61.8% −0.2 pp 62.6%
2009 62.0% −0.2 pp 62.8%
2008 62.2% +0.2 pp 63.1%
2007 61.9% −0.2 pp 63.4%
2006 62.1% +0.4 pp 63.5%
2005 61.7% +0.2 pp 63.8%
2004 61.4% +0.0 pp 63.8%
2003 61.4% +0.1 pp 63.9%
2002 61.3% +0.3 pp 64.1%
2001 61.0% −0.4 pp 64.2%
2000 61.3% +0.2 pp 64.4%
1999 61.1% +0.3 pp 64.6%
1998 60.8% −0.1 pp 64.5%
1997 60.9% +0.2 pp 64.7%
1996 60.7% +0.1 pp 64.7%
1995 60.6% −0.2 pp 64.8%
1994 60.8% −0.2 pp 65.0%
1993 61.0% −0.5 pp 65.0%
1992 61.5% −0.4 pp 65.3%
1991 62.0% −0.4 pp 65.4%
1990 62.4% 65.5%

Source: World Bank — World Development Indicators, 1990 – 2025

Ranking · Countries

2016 · Place 1 is the highest value.

Year: 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014
Highest first Lowest first A–Z
#TerritoryLabour force participation
1 Liberia 76.9%
2 China 68.9%
3 Congo - Brazzaville 68.1%
4 Ecuador 67.7%
5 Colombia 66.4%
6 Indonesia 66.3%
7 Netherlands 66.3%
8 Norway 66.2%
9 Canada 65.6%
10 Congo - Kinshasa 65.0%
11 Brazil 64.3%
12 Honduras 63.3%
13 Russia 62.9%
14 South Korea 62.6%
15 United States 62.4%
16 United Kingdom 62.4%
17 Chile 62.3%
18 Philippines 61.6%
19 Saudi Arabia 60.7%
20 Mexico 60.4%
21 Germany 60.4%
22 Hong Kong SAR China 60.4%
23 Lithuania 60.3%
24 Czechia 59.8%
25 Argentina 59.0%
26 Finland 58.5%
27 Spain 58.3%
28 Poland 57.3%
29 Bangladesh 56.1%
30 Sierra Leone 55.4%
31 France 55.4%
32 Bulgaria 53.3%
33 India 52.9%
34 Türkiye 52.0%
35 Greece 51.1%
36 Romania 50.9%
37 Gabon 50.8%
38 Italy 49.2%
39 Lebanon 47.5%
40 Egypt 46.6%
41 Algeria 42.3%
42 Yemen 32.3%

Source: World Bank — World Development Indicators, 2016

What it means

The share of adults who work or are looking for work.

How it is calculated

Employed plus unemployed people aged 15 and over (16 in the US) divided by the population of that age.