Economic Outlook No 114 — Total employment in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Economic Outlook No 114 — Total employment was 33.22 million in 2025. ▲ Rising
Economic Outlook No 114 — Total employment in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 1971–2025
Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
Analysis
The most recent figure for economic outlook no 114 — total employment in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is 33.22 million, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 55 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.6% on the previous year and up 6.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, economic outlook no 114 — total employment in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland peaked at 33.22 million in 2025 and was at its lowest, 23.78 million, in 1983.
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 7th of 35 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 55 years of available data.
Economic Outlook No 114 — Total employment in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 24.51 million | — |
| 1972 | 24.58 million | +0.3% |
| 1973 | 24.96 million | +1.6% |
| 1974 | 25.03 million | +0.3% |
| 1975 | 24.93 million | -0.4% |
| 1976 | 24.79 million | -0.6% |
| 1977 | 24.81 million | +0.1% |
| 1978 | 24.94 million | +0.5% |
| 1979 | 25.20 million | +1.0% |
| 1980 | 25.09 million | -0.4% |
| 1981 | 24.43 million | -2.6% |
| 1982 | 23.95 million | -2.0% |
| 1983 | 23.78 million | -0.7% |
| 1984 | 24.29 million | +2.1% |
| 1985 | 24.59 million | +1.3% |
| 1986 | 24.75 million | +0.6% |
| 1987 | 25.24 million | +2.0% |
| 1988 | 26.07 million | +3.3% |
| 1989 | 26.75 million | +2.6% |
| 1990 | 26.87 million | +0.5% |
| 1991 | 26.16 million | -2.6% |
| 1992 | 25.54 million | -2.4% |
| 1993 | 25.30 million | -0.9% |
| 1994 | 25.50 million | +0.8% |
| 1995 | 25.82 million | +1.2% |
| 1996 | 26.06 million | +0.9% |
| 1997 | 26.53 million | +1.8% |
| 1998 | 26.80 million | +1.0% |
| 1999 | 27.17 million | +1.4% |
| 2000 | 27.48 million | +1.2% |
| 2001 | 27.71 million | +0.8% |
| 2002 | 27.94 million | +0.8% |
| 2003 | 28.22 million | +1.0% |
| 2004 | 28.53 million | +1.1% |
| 2005 | 28.85 million | +1.1% |
| 2006 | 29.14 million | +1.0% |
| 2007 | 29.38 million | +0.8% |
| 2008 | 29.63 million | +0.9% |
| 2009 | 29.16 million | -1.6% |
| 2010 | 29.23 million | +0.2% |
| 2011 | 29.38 million | +0.5% |
| 2012 | 29.70 million | +1.1% |
| 2013 | 30.04 million | +1.2% |
| 2014 | 30.75 million | +2.4% |
| 2015 | 31.28 million | +1.7% |
| 2016 | 31.74 million | +1.5% |
| 2017 | 32.06 million | +1.0% |
| 2018 | 32.44 million | +1.2% |
| 2019 | 32.80 million | +1.1% |
| 2020 | 32.51 million | -0.9% |
| 2021 | 32.41 million | -0.3% |
| 2022 | 32.74 million | +1.0% |
| 2023 | 32.93 million | +0.6% |
| 2024 | 33.02 million | +0.3% |
| 2025 | 33.22 million | +0.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 24.86 million | 24.51 million | 25.20 million | 9 |
| 1980s | 24.89 million | 23.78 million | 26.75 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 26.17 million | 25.30 million | 27.17 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 28.60 million | 27.48 million | 29.63 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 30.94 million | 29.23 million | 32.80 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 32.80 million | 32.41 million | 33.22 million | 6 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
- 4 Netherlands 9.78 million compare
- 4 Japan 67.36 million compare
- 5 Lithuania 1.47 million compare
- 5 Mexico 61.86 million compare
- 6 Slovenia 995,742 compare
- 6 Germany 42.87 million compare
- 7 Latvia 884,825 compare
- 8 Estonia 699,622 compare
- 8 France 28.72 million compare
- 9 Italy 24.00 million compare
- 10 Colombia 23.51 million compare
More economy & growth data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 1.14 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 1.42 Percent per annum (2029)
- Total reserves minus gold (current US$), annual growth rate 14.95 % change on previous year (2025)
- Total reserves minus gold (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.0427 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Total reserves minus gold (current US$), per capita 2,458 current US$ per person (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (current US$) 9.98 % change on previous year (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (current US$), per 0.2123 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (current US$), per 12,226 current US$ per person (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (current LCU) 6.75 % change on previous year (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (current LCU), per 0.1612 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
All data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland →
Frequently asked questions
- What is economic outlook no 114 — total employment in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- Economic outlook no 114 — total employment in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was 33.22 million in 2025, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
- What is the highest economic outlook no 114 — total employment recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 33.22 million in 2025.
- What is the lowest economic outlook no 114 — total employment recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 23.78 million in 1983.
- How does United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank for economic outlook no 114 — total employment?
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 7th out of 35 countries with data for 2025.
- Is economic outlook no 114 — total employment rising or falling in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland data come from?
- The figures come from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, published as part of Economic Outlook No 114 — Total employment (labour force survey basis). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The OECD Economic Outlook presents the OECD’s analysis of the major global economic trends and prospects for the next two years. The Outlook puts forward a consistent set of projections for output, employment, government spending, prices and current balances based on a review of each member country and of the induced effect on each of them on international developments. EO114 Database inventory EO114 Last historical points OECD Economic Outlook website: https://www.oecd.org/economic-outlook/ Contact: eco.outlook@oecd.org