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ONS · Labour market overview, UK (LMS time series)

Economic inactivity rate

2026 Q2 Final

20.9%

Economic inactivity rate was 20.9% in 2026 Q2, unchanged from 2025 Q2.

No change against 2025 Q2 (same quarter previous year)

  1. ONS percentage
  2. 2026 Q2
  3. published 17 August 2026
  4. LF2S
  5. row “LFS: Economic inactivity rate: UK: All: Aged 16-64: %: SA”
  6. column “2026 Q2”
  7. cell value 20.9

1971 Q1 to 2026 Q2

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

What this measures

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

People often confuse this with

Percentage change ≠ Percentage-point changeA rate moving from 4% to 5% has risen by one percentage point and by 25%. This site describes changes in rates in points, never as a percentage of a percentage.

What this doesn’t measure

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

Important caveat

Labour Force Survey estimates come from a sample of households, so every figure has a margin of error and small changes between quarters may not be real. Response rates fell sharply after 2020; ONS suspended the survey's accredited official statistics status in 2024 and reintroduced it with reweighted estimates, so figures across that period are not a clean series. Civometry stores the calendar-quarter estimates because the monthly figures ONS publishes for these series are three-month rolling averages named after their final month.

Revision history

No period of this series has been revised since it was first ingested here. Revisions are recorded automatically when a later release publishes a different figure for the same period.

Source

Publisher
ONS
Publication
Labour market overview, UK (LMS time series)
Release
Labour market overview, UK: August 2026, published 17 August 2026
Source file
ons_labour_market.json
File SHA-256
9995a0293e3629add1cf76516e37f3e60f0be365343415867ab5fa687950e0fc
Retrieved
3 September 2026
Sheet
LMS
Table
LF2S
Row
LFS: Economic inactivity rate: UK: All: Aged 16-64: %: SA
Column
2026 Q2
Cell value
20.9
Geography
United Kingdom
Unit
percent
API
/api/metrics/inactivity_rate · /series · /vintages

Government periods

Change during each government, from the level inherited to the last complete period before it left office. Describes the period; does not attribute cause.

Labour 2024–22.1%2024 Q220.9%2026 Q2↓ 5.4%
Conservative 2019–202420.8%2019 Q322.1%2024 Q2↑ 6.3%
Conservative 2017–201921.6%2017 Q120.8%2019 Q3↓ 3.7%
Conservative 2015–201722.2%2015 Q121.6%2017 Q1↓ 2.7%
Coalition 2010–201523.6%2010 Q122.2%2015 Q1↓ 5.9%
Labour 2005–201023.3%2005 Q123.6%2010 Q1↑ 1.3%
Labour 2001–200523.4%2001 Q123.3%2005 Q1↓ 0.4%
Labour 1997–200123.6%1997 Q123.4%2001 Q1↓ 0.8%
Conservative 1992–199723.1%1992 Q123.6%1997 Q1↑ 2.2%
Conservative 1987–199223.4%1987 Q123.1%1992 Q1↓ 1.3%
Conservative 1983–198725.8%1983 Q123.4%1987 Q1↓ 9.3%
Conservative 1979–198324.2%1979 Q125.8%1983 Q1↑ 6.6%

Full comparison with chart

Release
Labour market overview, UK: August 2026 · publication page
Last updated
17 August 2026
Next release expected
Not yet announced (estimated from the usual cadence)