Civometry

Answered from official statistics · ONS

Is unemployment rising?

2026 Q2

4.9%

Unemployment rate was 4.9% in 2026 Q2, up 0.2 percentage points from 4.7% in 2025 Q2.

  1. ONS
  2. Labour market overview, UK (LMS time series)
  3. MGSX
  4. published 17 August 2026
  5. full metric page

Unemployment rate: 4.9% , 2026 Q2

The percentage of the economically active population aged 16 and over who were out of work, had looked for work in the last four weeks and were available to start, seasonally adjusted.

Unemployment rate: 1971 Q1 to 2026 Q2ConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeLabourLabourLabourLabourCoalitionConservativeConservativeConservativeLabour0%5%10%198019902000201020201971 Q1: 3.8% percent · published 17 August 20261971 Q2: 4.1% percent · published 17 August 20261971 Q3: 4.2% percent · published 17 August 20261971 Q4: 4.4% percent · published 17 August 20261972 Q1: 4.5% percent · published 17 August 20261972 Q2: 4.4% percent · published 17 August 20261972 Q3: 4.3% percent · published 17 August 20261972 Q4: 4.2% percent · published 17 August 20261973 Q1: 3.9% percent · published 17 August 20261973 Q2: 3.7% percent · published 17 August 20261973 Q3: 3.6% percent · published 17 August 20261973 Q4: 3.4% percent · published 17 August 20261974 Q1: 3.6% percent · published 17 August 20261974 Q2: 3.6% percent · published 17 August 20261974 Q3: 3.7% percent · published 17 August 20261974 Q4: 3.7% percent · published 17 August 20261975 Q1: 4% percent · published 17 August 20261975 Q2: 4.3% percent · published 17 August 20261975 Q3: 4.7% percent · published 17 August 20261975 Q4: 5% percent · published 17 August 20261976 Q1: 5.3% percent · published 17 August 20261976 Q2: 5.4% percent · published 17 August 20261976 Q3: 5.5% percent · published 17 August 20261976 Q4: 5.5% percent · published 17 August 20261977 Q1: 5.5% percent · published 17 August 20261977 Q2: 5.5% percent · published 17 August 20261977 Q3: 5.7% percent · published 17 August 20261977 Q4: 5.7% percent · published 17 August 20261978 Q1: 5.6% percent · published 17 August 20261978 Q2: 5.6% percent · published 17 August 20261978 Q3: 5.5% percent · published 17 August 20261978 Q4: 5.4% percent · published 17 August 20261979 Q1: 5.4% percent · published 17 August 20261979 Q2: 5.3% percent · published 17 August 20261979 Q3: 5.4% percent · published 17 August 20261979 Q4: 5.5% percent · published 17 August 20261980 Q1: 5.8% percent · published 17 August 20261980 Q2: 6.3% percent · published 17 August 20261980 Q3: 7.1% percent · published 17 August 20261980 Q4: 8% percent · published 17 August 20261981 Q1: 8.9% percent · published 17 August 20261981 Q2: 9.6% percent · published 17 August 20261981 Q3: 9.9% percent · published 17 August 20261981 Q4: 10.2% percent · published 17 August 20261982 Q1: 10.4% percent · published 17 August 20261982 Q2: 10.6% percent · published 17 August 20261982 Q3: 10.8% percent · published 17 August 20261982 Q4: 11.1% percent · published 17 August 20261983 Q1: 11.3% percent · published 17 August 20261983 Q2: 11.4% percent · published 17 August 20261983 Q3: 11.5% percent · published 17 August 20261983 Q4: 11.7% percent · published 17 August 20261984 Q1: 11.8% percent · published 17 August 20261984 Q2: 11.9% percent · published 17 August 20261984 Q3: 11.7% percent · published 17 August 20261984 Q4: 11.6% percent · published 17 August 20261985 Q1: 11.5% percent · published 17 August 20261985 Q2: 11.4% percent · published 17 August 20261985 Q3: 11.3% percent · published 17 August 20261985 Q4: 11.3% percent · published 17 August 20261986 Q1: 11.3% percent · published 17 August 20261986 Q2: 11.3% percent · published 17 August 20261986 Q3: 11.4% percent · published 17 August 20261986 Q4: 11.3% percent · published 17 August 20261987 Q1: 11.1% percent · published 17 August 20261987 Q2: 10.7% percent · published 17 August 20261987 Q3: 10.2% percent · published 17 August 20261987 Q4: 9.7% percent · published 17 August 20261988 Q1: 9.2% percent · published 17 August 20261988 Q2: 8.7% percent · published 17 August 20261988 Q3: 8.4% percent · published 17 August 20261988 Q4: 8% percent · published 17 August 20261989 Q1: 7.6% percent · published 17 August 20261989 Q2: 7.2% percent · published 17 August 20261989 Q3: 7.1% percent · published 17 August 20261989 Q4: 7% percent · published 17 August 20261990 Q1: 6.9% percent · published 17 August 20261990 Q2: 6.9% percent · published 17 August 20261990 Q3: 7.1% percent · published 17 August 20261990 Q4: 7.5% percent · published 17 August 20261991 Q1: 8% percent · published 17 August 20261991 Q2: 8.7% percent · published 17 August 20261991 Q3: 9.2% percent · published 17 August 20261991 Q4: 9.5% percent · published 17 August 20261992 Q1: 9.7% percent · published 17 August 20261992 Q2: 9.8% percent · published 17 August 20261992 Q3: 9.9% percent · published 17 August 20261992 Q4: 10.4% percent · published 17 August 20261993 Q1: 10.6% percent · published 17 August 20261993 Q2: 10.4% percent · published 17 August 20261993 Q3: 10.2% percent · published 17 August 20261993 Q4: 10.3% percent · published 17 August 20261994 Q1: 9.9% percent · published 17 August 20261994 Q2: 9.7% percent · published 17 August 20261994 Q3: 9.4% percent · published 17 August 20261994 Q4: 9% percent · published 17 August 20261995 Q1: 8.9% percent · published 17 August 20261995 Q2: 8.7% percent · published 17 August 20261995 Q3: 8.6% percent · published 17 August 20261995 Q4: 8.3% percent · published 17 August 20261996 Q1: 8.2% percent · published 17 August 20261996 Q2: 8.3% percent · published 17 August 20261996 Q3: 8.1% percent · published 17 August 20261996 Q4: 7.8% percent · published 17 August 20261997 Q1: 7.3% percent · published 17 August 20261997 Q2: 7.2% percent · published 17 August 20261997 Q3: 6.8% percent · published 17 August 20261997 Q4: 6.5% percent · published 17 August 20261998 Q1: 6.4% percent · published 17 August 20261998 Q2: 6.3% percent · published 17 August 20261998 Q3: 6.2% percent · published 17 August 20261998 Q4: 6.1% percent · published 17 August 20261999 Q1: 6.2% percent · published 17 August 20261999 Q2: 6% percent · published 17 August 20261999 Q3: 5.9% percent · published 17 August 20261999 Q4: 5.8% percent · published 17 August 20262000 Q1: 5.8% percent · published 17 August 20262000 Q2: 5.5% percent · published 17 August 20262000 Q3: 5.3% percent · published 17 August 20262000 Q4: 5.2% percent · published 17 August 20262001 Q1: 5.1% percent · published 17 August 20262001 Q2: 5% percent · published 17 August 20262001 Q3: 5.1% percent · published 17 August 20262001 Q4: 5.2% percent · published 17 August 20262002 Q1: 5.2% percent · published 17 August 20262002 Q2: 5.2% percent · published 17 August 20262002 Q3: 5.3% percent · published 17 August 20262002 Q4: 5.1% percent · published 17 August 20262003 Q1: 5.2% percent · published 17 August 20262003 Q2: 4.9% percent · published 17 August 20262003 Q3: 5% percent · published 17 August 20262003 Q4: 4.9% percent · published 17 August 20262004 Q1: 4.8% percent · published 17 August 20262004 Q2: 4.8% percent · published 17 August 20262004 Q3: 4.7% percent · published 17 August 20262004 Q4: 4.7% percent · published 17 August 20262005 Q1: 4.7% percent · published 17 August 20262005 Q2: 4.8% percent · published 17 August 20262005 Q3: 4.7% percent · published 17 August 20262005 Q4: 5.1% percent · published 17 August 20262006 Q1: 5.2% percent · published 17 August 20262006 Q2: 5.5% percent · published 17 August 20262006 Q3: 5.5% percent · published 17 August 20262006 Q4: 5.5% percent · published 17 August 20262007 Q1: 5.5% percent · published 17 August 20262007 Q2: 5.4% percent · published 17 August 20262007 Q3: 5.3% percent · published 17 August 20262007 Q4: 5.2% percent · published 17 August 20262008 Q1: 5.2% percent · published 17 August 20262008 Q2: 5.4% percent · published 17 August 20262008 Q3: 5.9% percent · published 17 August 20262008 Q4: 6.4% percent · published 17 August 20262009 Q1: 7.1% percent · published 17 August 20262009 Q2: 7.8% percent · published 17 August 20262009 Q3: 7.8% percent · published 17 August 20262009 Q4: 7.8% percent · published 17 August 20262010 Q1: 8% percent · published 17 August 20262010 Q2: 7.9% percent · published 17 August 20262010 Q3: 7.8% percent · published 17 August 20262010 Q4: 7.9% percent · published 17 August 20262011 Q1: 7.8% percent · published 17 August 20262011 Q2: 7.9% percent · published 17 August 20262011 Q3: 8.3% percent · published 17 August 20262011 Q4: 8.4% percent · published 17 August 20262012 Q1: 8.2% percent · published 17 August 20262012 Q2: 8% percent · published 17 August 20262012 Q3: 7.8% percent · published 17 August 20262012 Q4: 7.8% percent · published 17 August 20262013 Q1: 7.8% percent · published 17 August 20262013 Q2: 7.7% percent · published 17 August 20262013 Q3: 7.6% percent · published 17 August 20262013 Q4: 7.2% percent · published 17 August 20262014 Q1: 6.7% percent · published 17 August 20262014 Q2: 6.3% percent · published 17 August 20262014 Q3: 6% percent · published 17 August 20262014 Q4: 5.7% percent · published 17 August 20262015 Q1: 5.5% percent · published 17 August 20262015 Q2: 5.6% percent · published 17 August 20262015 Q3: 5.3% percent · published 17 August 20262015 Q4: 5.1% percent · published 17 August 20262016 Q1: 5.1% percent · published 17 August 20262016 Q2: 4.9% percent · published 17 August 20262016 Q3: 4.8% percent · published 17 August 20262016 Q4: 4.7% percent · published 17 August 20262017 Q1: 4.6% percent · published 17 August 20262017 Q2: 4.4% percent · published 17 August 20262017 Q3: 4.3% percent · published 17 August 20262017 Q4: 4.4% percent · published 17 August 20262018 Q1: 4.2% percent · published 17 August 20262018 Q2: 4% percent · published 17 August 20262018 Q3: 4.1% percent · published 17 August 20262018 Q4: 4% percent · published 17 August 20262019 Q1: 3.8% percent · published 17 August 20262019 Q2: 3.9% percent · published 17 August 20262019 Q3: 3.9% percent · published 17 August 20262019 Q4: 3.7% percent · published 17 August 20262020 Q1: 4.1% percent · published 17 August 20262020 Q2: 4.1% percent · published 17 August 20262020 Q3: 5% percent · published 17 August 20262020 Q4: 5.3% percent · published 17 August 20262021 Q1: 4.9% percent · published 17 August 20262021 Q2: 4.7% percent · published 17 August 20262021 Q3: 4.4% percent · published 17 August 20262021 Q4: 4.2% percent · published 17 August 20262022 Q1: 3.8% percent · published 17 August 20262022 Q2: 3.8% percent · published 17 August 20262022 Q3: 3.7% percent · published 17 August 20262022 Q4: 3.9% percent · published 17 August 20262023 Q1: 4% percent · published 17 August 20262023 Q2: 4.2% percent · published 17 August 20262023 Q3: 4.1% percent · published 17 August 20262023 Q4: 3.9% percent · published 17 August 20262024 Q1: 4.3% percent · published 17 August 20262024 Q2: 4.2% percent · published 17 August 20262024 Q3: 4.3% percent · published 17 August 20262024 Q4: 4.4% percent · published 17 August 20262025 Q1: 4.6% percent · published 17 August 20262025 Q2: 4.7% percent · published 17 August 20262025 Q3: 5% percent · published 17 August 20262025 Q4: 5.2% percent · published 17 August 20262026 Q1: 5% percent · published 17 August 20262026 Q2: 4.9% percent · published 17 August 2026
Published valueProvisional or revisedLatestShaded bands: governments (see labels)Hover or use arrow keys to read a value

People unemployed: 1,772,000 people, 2026 Q2

The estimated number of people aged 16 and over in the UK who were unemployed on the International Labour Organization definition, seasonally adjusted.

People unemployed: 1971 Q1 to 2026 Q2ConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeLabourLabourLabourLabourCoalitionConservativeConservativeConservativeLabour01m2m3m198019902000201020201971 Q1: 980,000 people · published 17 August 20261971 Q2: 1,045,000 people · published 17 August 20261971 Q3: 1,076,000 people · published 17 August 20261971 Q4: 1,133,000 people · published 17 August 20261972 Q1: 1,155,000 people · published 17 August 20261972 Q2: 1,140,000 people · published 17 August 20261972 Q3: 1,100,000 people · published 17 August 20261972 Q4: 1,070,000 people · published 17 August 20261973 Q1: 1,002,000 people · published 17 August 20261973 Q2: 968,000 people · published 17 August 20261973 Q3: 927,000 people · published 17 August 20261973 Q4: 888,000 people · published 17 August 20261974 Q1: 923,000 people · published 17 August 20261974 Q2: 937,000 people · published 17 August 20261974 Q3: 958,000 people · published 17 August 20261974 Q4: 976,000 people · published 17 August 20261975 Q1: 1,029,000 people · published 17 August 20261975 Q2: 1,126,000 people · published 17 August 20261975 Q3: 1,221,000 people · published 17 August 20261975 Q4: 1,319,000 people · published 17 August 20261976 Q1: 1,379,000 people · published 17 August 20261976 Q2: 1,413,000 people · published 17 August 20261976 Q3: 1,430,000 people · published 17 August 20261976 Q4: 1,432,000 people · published 17 August 20261977 Q1: 1,436,000 people · published 17 August 20261977 Q2: 1,452,000 people · published 17 August 20261977 Q3: 1,493,000 people · published 17 August 20261977 Q4: 1,499,000 people · published 17 August 20261978 Q1: 1,474,000 people · published 17 August 20261978 Q2: 1,463,000 people · published 17 August 20261978 Q3: 1,455,000 people · published 17 August 20261978 Q4: 1,421,000 people · published 17 August 20261979 Q1: 1,420,000 people · published 17 August 20261979 Q2: 1,405,000 people · published 17 August 20261979 Q3: 1,430,000 people · published 17 August 20261979 Q4: 1,471,000 people · published 17 August 20261980 Q1: 1,558,000 people · published 17 August 20261980 Q2: 1,700,000 people · published 17 August 20261980 Q3: 1,905,000 people · published 17 August 20261980 Q4: 2,169,000 people · published 17 August 20261981 Q1: 2,403,000 people · published 17 August 20261981 Q2: 2,588,000 people · published 17 August 20261981 Q3: 2,684,000 people · published 17 August 20261981 Q4: 2,761,000 people · published 17 August 20261982 Q1: 2,803,000 people · published 17 August 20261982 Q2: 2,841,000 people · published 17 August 20261982 Q3: 2,897,000 people · published 17 August 20261982 Q4: 2,960,000 people · published 17 August 20261983 Q1: 2,998,000 people · published 17 August 20261983 Q2: 3,049,000 people · published 17 August 20261983 Q3: 3,109,000 people · published 17 August 20261983 Q4: 3,167,000 people · published 17 August 20261984 Q1: 3,243,000 people · published 17 August 20261984 Q2: 3,265,000 people · published 17 August 20261984 Q3: 3,238,000 people · published 17 August 20261984 Q4: 3,217,000 people · published 17 August 20261985 Q1: 3,180,000 people · published 17 August 20261985 Q2: 3,152,000 people · published 17 August 20261985 Q3: 3,137,000 people · published 17 August 20261985 Q4: 3,135,000 people · published 17 August 20261986 Q1: 3,150,000 people · published 17 August 20261986 Q2: 3,159,000 people · published 17 August 20261986 Q3: 3,177,000 people · published 17 August 20261986 Q4: 3,156,000 people · published 17 August 20261987 Q1: 3,113,000 people · published 17 August 20261987 Q2: 3,021,000 people · published 17 August 20261987 Q3: 2,885,000 people · published 17 August 20261987 Q4: 2,741,000 people · published 17 August 20261988 Q1: 2,613,000 people · published 17 August 20261988 Q2: 2,490,000 people · published 17 August 20261988 Q3: 2,385,000 people · published 17 August 20261988 Q4: 2,293,000 people · published 17 August 20261989 Q1: 2,179,000 people · published 17 August 20261989 Q2: 2,083,000 people · published 17 August 20261989 Q3: 2,045,000 people · published 17 August 20261989 Q4: 2,021,000 people · published 17 August 20261990 Q1: 2,004,000 people · published 17 August 20261990 Q2: 2,002,000 people · published 17 August 20261990 Q3: 2,049,000 people · published 17 August 20261990 Q4: 2,158,000 people · published 17 August 20261991 Q1: 2,306,000 people · published 17 August 20261991 Q2: 2,492,000 people · published 17 August 20261991 Q3: 2,624,000 people · published 17 August 20261991 Q4: 2,697,000 people · published 17 August 20261992 Q1: 2,762,000 people · published 17 August 20261992 Q2: 2,777,000 people · published 17 August 20261992 Q3: 2,815,000 people · published 17 August 20261992 Q4: 2,932,000 people · published 17 August 20261993 Q1: 3,004,000 people · published 17 August 20261993 Q2: 2,931,000 people · published 17 August 20261993 Q3: 2,890,000 people · published 17 August 20261993 Q4: 2,892,000 people · published 17 August 20261994 Q1: 2,806,000 people · published 17 August 20261994 Q2: 2,736,000 people · published 17 August 20261994 Q3: 2,639,000 people · published 17 August 20261994 Q4: 2,521,000 people · published 17 August 20261995 Q1: 2,497,000 people · published 17 August 20261995 Q2: 2,445,000 people · published 17 August 20261995 Q3: 2,447,000 people · published 17 August 20261995 Q4: 2,353,000 people · published 17 August 20261996 Q1: 2,330,000 people · published 17 August 20261996 Q2: 2,340,000 people · published 17 August 20261996 Q3: 2,285,000 people · published 17 August 20261996 Q4: 2,229,000 people · published 17 August 20261997 Q1: 2,085,000 people · published 17 August 20261997 Q2: 2,051,000 people · published 17 August 20261997 Q3: 1,951,000 people · published 17 August 20261997 Q4: 1,864,000 people · published 17 August 20261998 Q1: 1,813,000 people · published 17 August 20261998 Q2: 1,791,000 people · published 17 August 20261998 Q3: 1,786,000 people · published 17 August 20261998 Q4: 1,764,000 people · published 17 August 20261999 Q1: 1,780,000 people · published 17 August 20261999 Q2: 1,743,000 people · published 17 August 20261999 Q3: 1,702,000 people · published 17 August 20261999 Q4: 1,684,000 people · published 17 August 20262000 Q1: 1,682,000 people · published 17 August 20262000 Q2: 1,599,000 people · published 17 August 20262000 Q3: 1,548,000 people · published 17 August 20262000 Q4: 1,520,000 people · published 17 August 20262001 Q1: 1,481,000 people · published 17 August 20262001 Q2: 1,468,000 people · published 17 August 20262001 Q3: 1,487,000 people · published 17 August 20262001 Q4: 1,520,000 people · published 17 August 20262002 Q1: 1,515,000 people · published 17 August 20262002 Q2: 1,520,000 people · published 17 August 20262002 Q3: 1,566,000 people · published 17 August 20262002 Q4: 1,516,000 people · published 17 August 20262003 Q1: 1,531,000 people · published 17 August 20262003 Q2: 1,467,000 people · published 17 August 20262003 Q3: 1,502,000 people · published 17 August 20262003 Q4: 1,457,000 people · published 17 August 20262004 Q1: 1,434,000 people · published 17 August 20262004 Q2: 1,437,000 people · published 17 August 20262004 Q3: 1,401,000 people · published 17 August 20262004 Q4: 1,423,000 people · published 17 August 20262005 Q1: 1,416,000 people · published 17 August 20262005 Q2: 1,437,000 people · published 17 August 20262005 Q3: 1,437,000 people · published 17 August 20262005 Q4: 1,567,000 people · published 17 August 20262006 Q1: 1,604,000 people · published 17 August 20262006 Q2: 1,685,000 people · published 17 August 20262006 Q3: 1,693,000 people · published 17 August 20262006 Q4: 1,701,000 people · published 17 August 20262007 Q1: 1,704,000 people · published 17 August 20262007 Q2: 1,658,000 people · published 17 August 20262007 Q3: 1,650,000 people · published 17 August 20262007 Q4: 1,608,000 people · published 17 August 20262008 Q1: 1,622,000 people · published 17 August 20262008 Q2: 1,680,000 people · published 17 August 20262008 Q3: 1,840,000 people · published 17 August 20262008 Q4: 2,003,000 people · published 17 August 20262009 Q1: 2,235,000 people · published 17 August 20262009 Q2: 2,448,000 people · published 17 August 20262009 Q3: 2,475,000 people · published 17 August 20262009 Q4: 2,453,000 people · published 17 August 20262010 Q1: 2,526,000 people · published 17 August 20262010 Q2: 2,488,000 people · published 17 August 20262010 Q3: 2,470,000 people · published 17 August 20262010 Q4: 2,503,000 people · published 17 August 20262011 Q1: 2,483,000 people · published 17 August 20262011 Q2: 2,540,000 people · published 17 August 20262011 Q3: 2,661,000 people · published 17 August 20262011 Q4: 2,688,000 people · published 17 August 20262012 Q1: 2,633,000 people · published 17 August 20262012 Q2: 2,575,000 people · published 17 August 20262012 Q3: 2,537,000 people · published 17 August 20262012 Q4: 2,534,000 people · published 17 August 20262013 Q1: 2,540,000 people · published 17 August 20262013 Q2: 2,515,000 people · published 17 August 20262013 Q3: 2,483,000 people · published 17 August 20262013 Q4: 2,358,000 people · published 17 August 20262014 Q1: 2,212,000 people · published 17 August 20262014 Q2: 2,061,000 people · published 17 August 20262014 Q3: 1,962,000 people · published 17 August 20262014 Q4: 1,870,000 people · published 17 August 20262015 Q1: 1,826,000 people · published 17 August 20262015 Q2: 1,848,000 people · published 17 August 20262015 Q3: 1,760,000 people · published 17 August 20262015 Q4: 1,688,000 people · published 17 August 20262016 Q1: 1,688,000 people · published 17 August 20262016 Q2: 1,645,000 people · published 17 August 20262016 Q3: 1,619,000 people · published 17 August 20262016 Q4: 1,587,000 people · published 17 August 20262017 Q1: 1,530,000 people · published 17 August 20262017 Q2: 1,488,000 people · published 17 August 20262017 Q3: 1,432,000 people · published 17 August 20262017 Q4: 1,467,000 people · published 17 August 20262018 Q1: 1,422,000 people · published 17 August 20262018 Q2: 1,367,000 people · published 17 August 20262018 Q3: 1,382,000 people · published 17 August 20262018 Q4: 1,369,000 people · published 17 August 20262019 Q1: 1,304,000 people · published 17 August 20262019 Q2: 1,332,000 people · published 17 August 20262019 Q3: 1,325,000 people · published 17 August 20262019 Q4: 1,283,000 people · published 17 August 20262020 Q1: 1,410,000 people · published 17 August 20262020 Q2: 1,388,000 people · published 17 August 20262020 Q3: 1,688,000 people · published 17 August 20262020 Q4: 1,792,000 people · published 17 August 20262021 Q1: 1,667,000 people · published 17 August 20262021 Q2: 1,588,000 people · published 17 August 20262021 Q3: 1,496,000 people · published 17 August 20262021 Q4: 1,427,000 people · published 17 August 20262022 Q1: 1,291,000 people · published 17 August 20262022 Q2: 1,297,000 people · published 17 August 20262022 Q3: 1,272,000 people · published 17 August 20262022 Q4: 1,351,000 people · published 17 August 20262023 Q1: 1,389,000 people · published 17 August 20262023 Q2: 1,472,000 people · published 17 August 20262023 Q3: 1,424,000 people · published 17 August 20262023 Q4: 1,340,000 people · published 17 August 20262024 Q1: 1,514,000 people · published 17 August 20262024 Q2: 1,470,000 people · published 17 August 20262024 Q3: 1,502,000 people · published 17 August 20262024 Q4: 1,552,000 people · published 17 August 20262025 Q1: 1,621,000 people · published 17 August 20262025 Q2: 1,684,000 people · published 17 August 20262025 Q3: 1,787,000 people · published 17 August 20262025 Q4: 1,875,000 people · published 17 August 20262026 Q1: 1,808,000 people · published 17 August 20262026 Q2: 1,772,000 people · published 17 August 2026
Published valueProvisional or revisedLatestShaded bands: governments (see labels)Hover or use arrow keys to read a value

Economic inactivity rate: 20.9% , 2026 Q2

The percentage of people aged 16 to 64 who were neither in work nor looking for work, seasonally adjusted.

Economic inactivity rate: 1971 Q1 to 2026 Q2ConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeLabourLabourLabourLabourCoalitionConservativeConservativeConservativeLabour0%10%20%198019902000201020201971 Q1: 24.9% percent · published 17 August 20261971 Q2: 24.9% percent · published 17 August 20261971 Q3: 25.1% percent · published 17 August 20261971 Q4: 25.2% percent · published 17 August 20261972 Q1: 24.8% percent · published 17 August 20261972 Q2: 24.8% percent · published 17 August 20261972 Q3: 24.8% percent · published 17 August 20261972 Q4: 24.6% percent · published 17 August 20261973 Q1: 24.3% percent · published 17 August 20261973 Q2: 24.2% percent · published 17 August 20261973 Q3: 24.4% percent · published 17 August 20261973 Q4: 24.4% percent · published 17 August 20261974 Q1: 24.4% percent · published 17 August 20261974 Q2: 24.3% percent · published 17 August 20261974 Q3: 24.1% percent · published 17 August 20261974 Q4: 24.1% percent · published 17 August 20261975 Q1: 24.1% percent · published 17 August 20261975 Q2: 24% percent · published 17 August 20261975 Q3: 23.9% percent · published 17 August 20261975 Q4: 23.8% percent · published 17 August 20261976 Q1: 23.9% percent · published 17 August 20261976 Q2: 23.9% percent · published 17 August 20261976 Q3: 24% percent · published 17 August 20261976 Q4: 24% percent · published 17 August 20261977 Q1: 24.1% percent · published 17 August 20261977 Q2: 24.1% percent · published 17 August 20261977 Q3: 24.1% percent · published 17 August 20261977 Q4: 24.1% percent · published 17 August 20261978 Q1: 24.2% percent · published 17 August 20261978 Q2: 24.3% percent · published 17 August 20261978 Q3: 24.3% percent · published 17 August 20261978 Q4: 24.2% percent · published 17 August 20261979 Q1: 24.2% percent · published 17 August 20261979 Q2: 24.2% percent · published 17 August 20261979 Q3: 24.1% percent · published 17 August 20261979 Q4: 24.1% percent · published 17 August 20261980 Q1: 24% percent · published 17 August 20261980 Q2: 23.9% percent · published 17 August 20261980 Q3: 23.9% percent · published 17 August 20261980 Q4: 23.9% percent · published 17 August 20261981 Q1: 23.8% percent · published 17 August 20261981 Q2: 23.9% percent · published 17 August 20261981 Q3: 24.1% percent · published 17 August 20261981 Q4: 24.4% percent · published 17 August 20261982 Q1: 24.6% percent · published 17 August 20261982 Q2: 24.9% percent · published 17 August 20261982 Q3: 25.2% percent · published 17 August 20261982 Q4: 25.5% percent · published 17 August 20261983 Q1: 25.8% percent · published 17 August 20261983 Q2: 25.9% percent · published 17 August 20261983 Q3: 25.4% percent · published 17 August 20261983 Q4: 24.9% percent · published 17 August 20261984 Q1: 24.5% percent · published 17 August 20261984 Q2: 24.2% percent · published 17 August 20261984 Q3: 24.2% percent · published 17 August 20261984 Q4: 24% percent · published 17 August 20261985 Q1: 24% percent · published 17 August 20261985 Q2: 23.9% percent · published 17 August 20261985 Q3: 23.9% percent · published 17 August 20261985 Q4: 23.8% percent · published 17 August 20261986 Q1: 23.8% percent · published 17 August 20261986 Q2: 23.7% percent · published 17 August 20261986 Q3: 23.5% percent · published 17 August 20261986 Q4: 23.4% percent · published 17 August 20261987 Q1: 23.4% percent · published 17 August 20261987 Q2: 23.2% percent · published 17 August 20261987 Q3: 23% percent · published 17 August 20261987 Q4: 22.8% percent · published 17 August 20261988 Q1: 22.6% percent · published 17 August 20261988 Q2: 22.5% percent · published 17 August 20261988 Q3: 22.4% percent · published 17 August 20261988 Q4: 22.2% percent · published 17 August 20261989 Q1: 22% percent · published 17 August 20261989 Q2: 21.9% percent · published 17 August 20261989 Q3: 21.9% percent · published 17 August 20261989 Q4: 21.7% percent · published 17 August 20261990 Q1: 21.8% percent · published 17 August 20261990 Q2: 21.7% percent · published 17 August 20261990 Q3: 21.7% percent · published 17 August 20261990 Q4: 21.8% percent · published 17 August 20261991 Q1: 22% percent · published 17 August 20261991 Q2: 22.2% percent · published 17 August 20261991 Q3: 22.5% percent · published 17 August 20261991 Q4: 22.9% percent · published 17 August 20261992 Q1: 23.1% percent · published 17 August 20261992 Q2: 23.3% percent · published 17 August 20261992 Q3: 23.4% percent · published 17 August 20261992 Q4: 23.5% percent · published 17 August 20261993 Q1: 23.4% percent · published 17 August 20261993 Q2: 23.6% percent · published 17 August 20261993 Q3: 23.6% percent · published 17 August 20261993 Q4: 23.6% percent · published 17 August 20261994 Q1: 23.6% percent · published 17 August 20261994 Q2: 23.7% percent · published 17 August 20261994 Q3: 23.7% percent · published 17 August 20261994 Q4: 24.1% percent · published 17 August 20261995 Q1: 24% percent · published 17 August 20261995 Q2: 23.9% percent · published 17 August 20261995 Q3: 23.7% percent · published 17 August 20261995 Q4: 23.7% percent · published 17 August 20261996 Q1: 23.8% percent · published 17 August 20261996 Q2: 23.7% percent · published 17 August 20261996 Q3: 23.8% percent · published 17 August 20261996 Q4: 23.6% percent · published 17 August 20261997 Q1: 23.6% percent · published 17 August 20261997 Q2: 23.4% percent · published 17 August 20261997 Q3: 23.6% percent · published 17 August 20261997 Q4: 23.8% percent · published 17 August 20261998 Q1: 23.8% percent · published 17 August 20261998 Q2: 23.9% percent · published 17 August 20261998 Q3: 23.6% percent · published 17 August 20261998 Q4: 23.5% percent · published 17 August 20261999 Q1: 23.4% percent · published 17 August 20261999 Q2: 23.4% percent · published 17 August 20261999 Q3: 23.3% percent · published 17 August 20261999 Q4: 23.2% percent · published 17 August 20262000 Q1: 23.2% percent · published 17 August 20262000 Q2: 23.3% percent · published 17 August 20262000 Q3: 23.2% percent · published 17 August 20262000 Q4: 23.5% percent · published 17 August 20262001 Q1: 23.4% percent · published 17 August 20262001 Q2: 23.4% percent · published 17 August 20262001 Q3: 23.5% percent · published 17 August 20262001 Q4: 23.4% percent · published 17 August 20262002 Q1: 23.6% percent · published 17 August 20262002 Q2: 23.3% percent · published 17 August 20262002 Q3: 23.3% percent · published 17 August 20262002 Q4: 23.2% percent · published 17 August 20262003 Q1: 23.3% percent · published 17 August 20262003 Q2: 23.3% percent · published 17 August 20262003 Q3: 23.3% percent · published 17 August 20262003 Q4: 23.5% percent · published 17 August 20262004 Q1: 23.2% percent · published 17 August 20262004 Q2: 23.4% percent · published 17 August 20262004 Q3: 23.5% percent · published 17 August 20262004 Q4: 23.3% percent · published 17 August 20262005 Q1: 23.3% percent · published 17 August 20262005 Q2: 23.4% percent · published 17 August 20262005 Q3: 23.3% percent · published 17 August 20262005 Q4: 23.3% percent · published 17 August 20262006 Q1: 23% percent · published 17 August 20262006 Q2: 22.9% percent · published 17 August 20262006 Q3: 22.9% percent · published 17 August 20262006 Q4: 23% percent · published 17 August 20262007 Q1: 23.2% percent · published 17 August 20262007 Q2: 23.2% percent · published 17 August 20262007 Q3: 23.2% percent · published 17 August 20262007 Q4: 23.1% percent · published 17 August 20262008 Q1: 23% percent · published 17 August 20262008 Q2: 22.9% percent · published 17 August 20262008 Q3: 23% percent · published 17 August 20262008 Q4: 22.9% percent · published 17 August 20262009 Q1: 22.8% percent · published 17 August 20262009 Q2: 23.1% percent · published 17 August 20262009 Q3: 23.3% percent · published 17 August 20262009 Q4: 23.4% percent · published 17 August 20262010 Q1: 23.6% percent · published 17 August 20262010 Q2: 23.5% percent · published 17 August 20262010 Q3: 23.2% percent · published 17 August 20262010 Q4: 23.5% percent · published 17 August 20262011 Q1: 23.4% percent · published 17 August 20262011 Q2: 23.3% percent · published 17 August 20262011 Q3: 23.4% percent · published 17 August 20262011 Q4: 23.2% percent · published 17 August 20262012 Q1: 23.1% percent · published 17 August 20262012 Q2: 22.8% percent · published 17 August 20262012 Q3: 22.7% percent · published 17 August 20262012 Q4: 22.4% percent · published 17 August 20262013 Q1: 22.6% percent · published 17 August 20262013 Q2: 22.5% percent · published 17 August 20262013 Q3: 22.3% percent · published 17 August 20262013 Q4: 22.3% percent · published 17 August 20262014 Q1: 22.2% percent · published 17 August 20262014 Q2: 22.2% percent · published 17 August 20262014 Q3: 22.2% percent · published 17 August 20262014 Q4: 22.3% percent · published 17 August 20262015 Q1: 22.2% percent · published 17 August 20262015 Q2: 22.2% percent · published 17 August 20262015 Q3: 22% percent · published 17 August 20262015 Q4: 21.9% percent · published 17 August 20262016 Q1: 21.9% percent · published 17 August 20262016 Q2: 21.7% percent · published 17 August 20262016 Q3: 21.7% percent · published 17 August 20262016 Q4: 21.7% percent · published 17 August 20262017 Q1: 21.6% percent · published 17 August 20262017 Q2: 21.4% percent · published 17 August 20262017 Q3: 21.7% percent · published 17 August 20262017 Q4: 21.4% percent · published 17 August 20262018 Q1: 21.2% percent · published 17 August 20262018 Q2: 21.3% percent · published 17 August 20262018 Q3: 21.3% percent · published 17 August 20262018 Q4: 21.1% percent · published 17 August 20262019 Q1: 21% percent · published 17 August 20262019 Q2: 20.7% percent · published 17 August 20262019 Q3: 20.8% percent · published 17 August 20262019 Q4: 20.6% percent · published 17 August 20262020 Q1: 20.7% percent · published 17 August 20262020 Q2: 21.3% percent · published 17 August 20262020 Q3: 21.4% percent · published 17 August 20262020 Q4: 21.5% percent · published 17 August 20262021 Q1: 21.6% percent · published 17 August 20262021 Q2: 21.6% percent · published 17 August 20262021 Q3: 21.4% percent · published 17 August 20262021 Q4: 21.6% percent · published 17 August 20262022 Q1: 21.9% percent · published 17 August 20262022 Q2: 21.9% percent · published 17 August 20262022 Q3: 22.1% percent · published 17 August 20262022 Q4: 21.7% percent · published 17 August 20262023 Q1: 21.5% percent · published 17 August 20262023 Q2: 21.4% percent · published 17 August 20262023 Q3: 21.8% percent · published 17 August 20262023 Q4: 22% percent · published 17 August 20262024 Q1: 22% percent · published 17 August 20262024 Q2: 22.1% percent · published 17 August 20262024 Q3: 21.6% percent · published 17 August 20262024 Q4: 21.5% percent · published 17 August 20262025 Q1: 21.3% percent · published 17 August 20262025 Q2: 20.9% percent · published 17 August 20262025 Q3: 20.9% percent · published 17 August 20262025 Q4: 20.9% percent · published 17 August 20262026 Q1: 20.9% percent · published 17 August 20262026 Q2: 20.9% percent · published 17 August 2026
Published valueProvisional or revisedLatestShaded bands: governments (see labels)Hover or use arrow keys to read a value

Job vacancies: 711,000 vacancies, 2026 Q2

The estimated number of unfilled jobs for which employers are actively recruiting, from the ONS Vacancy Survey, seasonally adjusted.

Job vacancies: 2001 Q2 to 2026 Q2LabourLabourLabourLabourCoalitionCoalitionConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeLabour0500k1m201020202001 Q2: 680,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262001 Q3: 664,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262001 Q4: 602,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262002 Q1: 619,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262002 Q2: 616,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262002 Q3: 609,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262002 Q4: 603,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262003 Q1: 593,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262003 Q2: 579,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262003 Q3: 592,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262003 Q4: 614,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262004 Q1: 624,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262004 Q2: 641,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262004 Q3: 654,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262004 Q4: 661,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262005 Q1: 643,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262005 Q2: 642,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262005 Q3: 621,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262005 Q4: 609,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262006 Q1: 599,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262006 Q2: 604,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262006 Q3: 611,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262006 Q4: 621,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262007 Q1: 642,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262007 Q2: 659,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262007 Q3: 684,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262007 Q4: 687,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262008 Q1: 698,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262008 Q2: 657,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262008 Q3: 615,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262008 Q4: 527,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262009 Q1: 464,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262009 Q2: 431,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262009 Q3: 436,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262009 Q4: 454,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262010 Q1: 465,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262010 Q2: 484,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262010 Q3: 455,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262010 Q4: 482,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262011 Q1: 482,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262011 Q2: 460,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262011 Q3: 464,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262011 Q4: 465,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262012 Q1: 467,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262012 Q2: 474,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262012 Q3: 488,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262012 Q4: 501,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262013 Q1: 506,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262013 Q2: 533,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262013 Q3: 548,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262013 Q4: 573,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262014 Q1: 615,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262014 Q2: 662,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262014 Q3: 686,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262014 Q4: 708,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262015 Q1: 729,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262015 Q2: 730,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262015 Q3: 742,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262015 Q4: 745,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262016 Q1: 745,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262016 Q2: 748,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262016 Q3: 756,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262016 Q4: 753,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262017 Q1: 766,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262017 Q2: 792,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262017 Q3: 806,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262017 Q4: 815,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262018 Q1: 808,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262018 Q2: 841,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262018 Q3: 853,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262018 Q4: 848,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262019 Q1: 837,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262019 Q2: 835,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262019 Q3: 827,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262019 Q4: 799,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262020 Q1: 788,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262020 Q2: 343,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262020 Q3: 499,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262020 Q4: 586,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262021 Q1: 621,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262021 Q2: 883,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262021 Q3: 1,132,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262021 Q4: 1,244,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262022 Q1: 1,259,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262022 Q2: 1,294,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262022 Q3: 1,235,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262022 Q4: 1,138,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262023 Q1: 1,089,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262023 Q2: 1,029,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262023 Q3: 984,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262023 Q4: 923,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262024 Q1: 893,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262024 Q2: 872,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262024 Q3: 840,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262024 Q4: 805,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262025 Q1: 775,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262025 Q2: 730,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262025 Q3: 729,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262025 Q4: 739,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262026 Q1: 718,000 vacancies · published 17 August 20262026 Q2: 711,000 vacancies · published 17 August 2026
Published valueProvisional or revisedLatestShaded bands: governments (see labels)Hover or use arrow keys to read a value

Since the current government took office

MetricInheritedLatestChange
Unemployment rate4.2%2024 Q24.9%2026 Q2↑ 16.7%
People unemployed1,470,0002024 Q21,772,0002026 Q2↑ 20.5%
Economic inactivity rate22.1%2024 Q220.9%2026 Q2↓ 5.4%
Job vacancies872,0002024 Q2711,0002026 Q2↓ 18.5%

Changes during a government do not by themselves show what it caused. Method.

What these figures don’t measure

Unemployment rate: People who are out of work but not looking for it: they are economically inactive, not unemployed.

People unemployed: Claimants of any benefit: the count comes from a survey of households, not from benefit records.

Economic inactivity rate: Why people are inactive, and whether they receive any benefit. Students, carers, the retired and the long-term sick are all counted here.

Job vacancies: Vacancies in agriculture, forestry and fishing, or in businesses with fewer than one employee, which the survey does not cover.