There were approximately 1.26 million unemployed people in the United Kingdom in the three months to March 2022, with the figure in December 2020 being the highest number since September 2015, when there were just over 1.76 million unemployed. The rise in unemployment in Summer 2020 can be attributed to the Coronavirus pandemic and closure of significant parts of the UK economy.
Number of people unemployed in the United Kingdom from March 1971 to March 2022
(in 1,000s)
Characteristic
Number of unemployed people in thousands
Mar 22
1,257
Feb 22
1,296
Jan 22
1,336
Dec 21
1,374
Nov 21
1,382
Oct 21
1,423
Sep 21
1,448
Aug 21
1,510
Jul 21
1,550
Jun 21
1,600
May 21
1,637
Apr 21
1,637
Mar 21
1,653
Feb 21
1,705
Jan 21
1,738
Dec 20
1,744
Nov 20
1,724
Oct 20
1,692
Sep 20
1,624
Aug 20
1,522
Jul 20
1,451
Jun 20
1,381
May 20
1,384
Apr 20
1,367
Mar 20
1,365
Feb 20
1,364
Jan 20
1,343
Dec 19
1,290
Nov 19
1,306
Oct 19
1,281
Sep 19
1,306
Aug 19
1,314
Jul 19
1,294
Jun 19
1,329
May 19
1,292
Apr 19
1,304
Mar 19
1,298
Feb 19
1,343
Jan 19
1,338
Dec 18
1,363
Nov 18
1,370
Oct 18
1,373
Sep 18
1,377
Aug 18
1,363
Jul 18
1,358
Jun 18
1,362
May 18
1,408
Apr 18
1,416
Mar 18
1,417
Feb 18
1,419
Jan 18
1,451
Dec 17
1,463
Nov 17
1,437
Oct 17
1,422
Sep 17
1,429
Aug 17
1,452
Jul 17
1,457
Jun 17
1,485
May 17
1,489
Apr 17
1,520
Mar 17
1,527
Feb 17
1,550
Jan 17
1,573
Dec 16
1,585
Nov 16
1,602
Oct 16
1,613
Sep 16
1,618
Aug 16
1,668
Jul 16
1,635
Jun 16
1,643
May 16
1,648
Apr 16
1,666
Mar 16
1,687
Feb 16
1,700
Jan 16
1,684
Dec 15
1,688
Nov 15
1,687
Oct 15
1,715
Sep 15
1,760
Aug 15
1,779
Jul 15
1,822
Jun 15
1,849
May 15
1,848
Apr 15
1,813
Mar 15
1,826
Feb 15
1,840
Jan 15
1,858
Dec 14
1,870
Nov 14
1,924
Oct 14
1,953
Sep 14
1,961
Aug 14
1,972
Jul 14
2,010
Jun 14
2,061
May 14
2,112
Apr 14
2,161
Mar 14
2,212
Feb 14
2,256
Jan 14
2,340
Dec 13
2,357
Nov 13
2,340
Oct 13
2,404
Sep 13
2,483
Aug 13
2,504
Jul 13
2,492
Jun 13
2,515
May 13
2,511
Apr 13
2,525
Mar 13
2,540
Feb 13
2,584
Jan 13
2,537
Dec 12
2,535
Nov 12
2,532
Oct 12
2,534
Sep 12
2,539
Aug 12
2,551
Jul 12
2,600
Jun 12
2,577
May 12
2,599
Apr 12
2,625
Mar 12
2,635
Feb 12
2,655
Jan 12
2,674
Dec 11
2,689
Nov 11
2,713
Oct 11
2,677
Sep 11
2,662
Aug 11
2,611
Jul 11
2,556
Jun 11
2,540
May 11
2,500
Apr 11
2,462
Mar 11
2,483
Feb 11
2,492
Jan 11
2,524
Dec 10
2,503
Nov 10
2,502
Oct 10
2,513
Sep 10
2,470
Aug 10
2,476
Jul 10
2,488
Jun 10
2,488
May 10
2,508
Apr 10
2,510
Mar 10
2,526
Feb 10
2,496
Jan 10
2,434
Dec 09
2,453
Nov 09
2,455
Oct 09
2,484
Sep 09
2,475
Aug 09
2,484
Jul 09
2,478
Jun 09
2,448
May 09
2,395
Apr 09
2,296
Mar 09
2,235
Feb 09
2,128
Jan 09
2,057
Dec 08
2,003
Nov 08
1,941
Oct 08
1,875
Sep 08
1,840
Aug 08
1,793
Jul 08
1,724
Jun 08
1,680
May 08
1,625
Apr 08
1,667
Mar 08
1,622
Feb 08
1,622
Jan 08
1,617
Dec 07
1,608
Nov 07
1,633
Oct 07
1,629
Sep 07
1,650
Aug 07
1,645
Jul 07
1,645
Jun 07
1,658
May 07
1,670
Apr 07
1,692
Mar 07
1,704
Feb 07
1,708
Jan 07
1,703
Dec 06
1,701
Nov 06
1,674
Oct 06
1,691
Sep 06
1,693
Aug 06
1,690
Jul 06
1,698
Jun 06
1,685
May 06
1,664
Apr 06
1,633
Mar 06
1,604
Feb 06
1,584
Jan 06
1,551
Dec 05
1,567
Nov 05
1,538
Oct 05
1,500
Sep 05
1,437
Aug 05
1,420
Jul 05
1,424
Jun 05
1,437
May 05
1,436
Apr 05
1,420
Mar 05
1,416
Feb 05
1,447
Jan 05
1,425
Dec 04
1,423
Nov 04
1,407
Oct 04
1,397
Sep 04
1,401
Aug 04
1,405
Jul 04
1,423
Jun 04
1,437
May 04
1,435
Apr 04
1,437
Mar 04
1,434
Feb 04
1,436
Jan 04
1,442
Dec 03
1,457
Nov 03
1,461
Oct 03
1,473
Sep 03
1,502
Aug 03
1,504
Jul 03
1,506
Jun 03
1,467
May 03
1,486
Apr 03
1,517
Mar 03
1,531
Feb 03
1,517
Jan 03
1,480
Dec 02
1,516
Nov 02
1,532
Oct 02
1,546
Sep 02
1,566
Aug 02
1,539
Jul 02
1,527
Jun 02
1,520
May 02
1,542
Apr 02
1,522
Mar 02
1,515
Feb 02
1,508
Jan 02
1,518
Dec 01
1,520
Nov 01
1,495
Oct 01
1,487
Sep 01
1,487
Aug 01
1,483
Jul 01
1,472
Jun 01
1,468
May 01
1,431
Apr 01
1,459
Mar 01
1,481
Feb 01
1,516
Jan 01
1,504
Dec 00
1,520
Nov 00
1,540
Oct 00
1,571
Sep 00
1,548
Aug 00
1,529
Jul 00
1,551
Jun 00
1,599
May 00
1,640
Apr 00
1,655
Mar 00
1,682
Feb 00
1,685
Jan 00
1,702
Dec 99
1,684
Nov 99
1,693
Oct 99
1,687
Sep 99
1,702
Aug 99
1,705
Jul 99
1,723
Jun 99
1,743
May 99
1,760
Apr 99
1,773
Mar 99
1,780
Feb 99
1,794
Jan 99
1,790
Dec 98
1,764
Nov 98
1,768
Oct 98
1,782
Sep 98
1,786
Aug 98
1,807
Jul 98
1,800
Jun 98
1,791
May 98
1,787
Apr 98
1,799
Mar 98
1,813
Feb 98
1,816
Jan 98
1,821
Dec 97
1,864
Nov 97
1,887
Oct 97
1,909
Sep 97
1,951
Aug 97
2,022
Jul 97
2,083
Jun 97
2,051
May 97
2,047
Apr 97
2,052
Mar 97
2,085
Feb 97
2,131
Jan 97
2,181
Dec 96
2,229
Nov 96
2,262
Oct 96
2,287
Sep 96
2,285
Aug 96
2,285
Jul 96
2,314
Jun 96
2,340
May 96
2,347
Apr 96
2,350
Mar 96
2,330
Feb 96
2,357
Jan 96
2,377
Dec 95
2,353
Nov 95
2,421
Oct 95
2,438
Sep 95
2,447
Aug 95
2,439
Jul 95
2,448
Jun 95
2,445
May 95
2,473
Apr 95
2,490
Mar 95
2,497
Feb 95
2,496
Jan 95
2,497
Dec 94
2,521
Nov 94
2,556
Oct 94
2,608
Sep 94
2,639
Aug 94
2,691
Jul 94
2,705
Jun 94
2,736
May 94
2,750
Apr 94
2,769
Mar 94
2,806
Feb 94
2,845
Jan 94
2,892
Dec 93
2,892
Nov 93
2,885
Oct 93
2,892
Sep 93
2,890
Aug 93
2,906
Jul 93
2,927
Jun 93
2,931
May 93
2,952
Apr 93
2,988
Mar 93
3,004
Feb 93
3,023
Jan 93
2,983
Dec 92
2,932
Nov 92
2,899
Oct 92
2,850
Sep 92
2,815
Aug 92
2,816
Jul 92
2,803
Jun 92
2,777
May 92
2,796
Apr 92
2,782
Mar 92
2,762
Feb 92
2,735
Jan 92
2,714
Dec 91
2,697
Nov 91
2,675
Oct 91
2,652
Sep 91
2,624
Aug 91
2,585
Jul 91
2,540
Jun 91
2,492
May 91
2,442
Apr 91
2,378
Mar 91
2,306
Feb 91
2,244
Jan 91
2,196
Dec 90
2,158
Nov 90
2,115
Oct 90
2,079
Sep 90
2,049
Aug 90
2,024
Jul 90
2,009
Jun 90
2,002
May 90
2,004
Apr 90
2,004
Mar 90
2,004
Feb 90
2,006
Jan 90
2,012
Dec 89
2,021
Nov 89
2,027
Oct 89
2,034
Sep 89
2,045
Aug 89
2,057
Jul 89
2,071
Jun 89
2,083
May 89
2,106
Apr 89
2,140
Mar 89
2,179
Feb 89
2,213
Jan 89
2,253
Dec 88
2,293
Nov 88
2,333
Oct 88
2,361
Sep 88
2,385
Aug 88
2,416
Jul 88
2,452
Jun 88
2,490
May 88
2,526
Apr 88
2,569
Mar 88
2,613
Feb 88
2,657
Jan 88
2,697
Dec 87
2,741
Nov 87
2,788
Oct 87
2,838
Sep 87
2,885
Aug 87
2,929
Jul 87
2,973
Jun 87
3,021
May 87
3,061
Apr 87
3,090
Mar 87
3,113
Feb 87
3,134
Jan 87
3,150
Dec 86
3,156
Nov 86
3,165
Oct 86
3,171
Sep 86
3,177
Aug 86
3,175
Jul 86
3,168
Jun 86
3,159
May 86
3,154
Apr 86
3,151
Mar 86
3,150
Feb 86
3,143
Jan 86
3,138
Dec 85
3,135
Nov 85
3,133
Oct 85
3,135
Sep 85
3,137
Aug 85
3,139
Jul 85
3,145
Jun 85
3,152
May 85
3,156
Apr 85
3,169
Mar 85
3,180
Feb 85
3,195
Jan 85
3,206
Dec 84
3,217
Nov 84
3,229
Oct 84
3,233
Sep 84
3,238
Aug 84
3,242
Jul 84
3,256
Jun 84
3,265
May 84
3,278
Apr 84
3,263
Mar 84
3,243
Feb 84
3,215
Jan 84
3,189
Dec 83
3,167
Nov 83
3,146
Oct 83
3,125
Sep 83
3,109
Aug 83
3,093
Jul 83
3,074
Jun 83
3,049
May 83
3,023
Apr 83
3,008
Mar 83
2,998
Feb 83
2,988
Jan 83
2,976
Dec 82
2,960
Nov 82
2,938
Oct 82
2,917
Sep 82
2,897
Aug 82
2,877
Jul 82
2,857
Jun 82
2,841
May 82
2,824
Apr 82
2,813
Mar 82
2,803
Feb 82
2,792
Jan 82
2,780
Dec 81
2,761
Nov 81
2,740
Oct 81
2,713
Sep 81
2,684
Aug 81
2,654
Jul 81
2,624
Jun 81
2,588
May 81
2,544
Apr 81
2,476
Mar 81
2,403
Feb 81
2,330
Jan 81
2,255
Dec 80
2,169
Nov 80
2,077
Oct 80
1,989
Sep 80
1,905
Aug 80
1,828
Jul 80
1,756
Jun 80
1,700
May 80
1,648
Apr 80
1,603
Mar 80
1,558
Feb 80
1,521
Jan 80
1,490
Dec 79
1,471
Nov 79
1,453
Oct 79
1,441
Sep 79
1,430
Aug 79
1,422
Jul 79
1,415
Jun 79
1,405
May 79
1,405
Apr 79
1,414
Mar 79
1,420
Feb 79
1,417
Jan 79
1,413
Dec 78
1,421
Nov 78
1,435
Oct 78
1,449
Sep 78
1,455
Aug 78
1,459
Jul 78
1,459
Jun 78
1,463
May 78
1,466
Apr 78
1,469
Mar 78
1,474
Feb 78
1,484
Jan 78
1,493
Dec 77
1,499
Nov 77
1,502
Oct 77
1,498
Sep 77
1,493
Aug 77
1,481
Jul 77
1,467
Jun 77
1,452
May 77
1,441
Apr 77
1,437
Mar 77
1,436
Feb 77
1,436
Jan 77
1,435
Dec 76
1,432
Nov 76
1,431
Oct 76
1,432
Sep 76
1,430
Aug 76
1,425
Jul 76
1,419
Jun 76
1,413
May 76
1,405
Apr 76
1,392
Mar 76
1,379
Feb 76
1,363
Jan 76
1,343
Dec 75
1,319
Nov 75
1,286
Oct 75
1,252
Sep 75
1,221
Aug 75
1,193
Jul 75
1,162
Jun 75
1,126
May 75
1,089
Apr 75
1,055
Mar 75
1,029
Feb 75
1,007
Jan 75
989
Dec 74
976
Nov 74
969
Oct 74
965
Sep 74
958
Aug 74
951
Jul 74
941
Jun 74
937
May 74
933
Apr 74
931
Mar 74
923
Feb 74
904
Jan 74
892
Dec 73
888
Nov 73
901
Oct 73
913
Sep 73
927
Aug 73
943
Jul 73
957
Jun 73
968
May 73
977
Apr 73
987
Mar 73
1,002
Feb 73
1,024
Jan 73
1,049
Dec 72
1,070
Nov 72
1,085
Oct 72
1,092
Sep 72
1,100
Aug 72
1,107
Jul 72
1,122
Jun 72
1,140
May 72
1,155
Apr 72
1,161
Mar 72
1,155
Feb 72
1,149
Jan 72
1,143
Dec 71
1,133
Nov 71
1,113
Oct 71
1,090
Sep 71
1,076
Aug 71
1,068
Jul 71
1,062
Jun 71
1,045
May 71
1,023
Apr 71
998
Mar 71
980
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Office for National Statistics (UK). (May 17, 2022). Number of people unemployed in the United Kingdom from March 1971 to March 2022 (in 1,000s) [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved May 26, 2022, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/280383/unemployment-figures-in-the-united-kingdom-uk/
Office for National Statistics (UK). "Number of people unemployed in the United Kingdom from March 1971 to March 2022 (in 1,000s)." Chart. May 17, 2022. Statista. Accessed May 26, 2022. https://www.statista.com/statistics/280383/unemployment-figures-in-the-united-kingdom-uk/
Office for National Statistics (UK). (2022). Number of people unemployed in the United Kingdom from March 1971 to March 2022 (in 1,000s). Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: May 26, 2022. https://www.statista.com/statistics/280383/unemployment-figures-in-the-united-kingdom-uk/
Office for National Statistics (UK). "Number of People Unemployed in The United Kingdom from March 1971 to March 2022 (in 1,000s)." Statista, Statista Inc., 17 May 2022, https://www.statista.com/statistics/280383/unemployment-figures-in-the-united-kingdom-uk/
Office for National Statistics (UK), Number of people unemployed in the United Kingdom from March 1971 to March 2022 (in 1,000s) Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/280383/unemployment-figures-in-the-united-kingdom-uk/ (last visited May 26, 2022)
