In the three months to March 2022, the employment rate in the United Kingdom was 75.7 percent, compared with 74.7 percent for the same period in 2021. After almost dropping below 70 percent in 2011, the employment rate in the United Kingdom started to climb at a relatively fast pace, peaking in early 2020. After that particular point however, the employment rate has declined to the levels seen in more recent months, due to the arrival of the Coronavirus pandemic, and societal lockdowns.
Record employment levels prior to pandemic
The high employment rate prior to the Coronavirus pandemic resulted in record levels of employed people in the United Kingdom, with more than 31.68 million people employed in February 2020. Since this peak, however the employment figures have experienced a net decrease of around 500 thousand workers, with the economic impact of Coronavirus highly likely to wreak further havoc with the UK labor market, especially after the job retention scheme is brought to a conclusion later in 2021.
Government safety net keeping jobs on furlough
While there are clear signs of trouble in the UK labor market, the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic would certainly be a lot more severe had it not being for economic intervention by the UK government. As of April 30, 2021, over 3.6 million jobs were still on furlough, which although significant, was still far below the 8.8 million jobs that were on furlough in early May 2020. Jobs in the retail and hospitality sectors were naturally some of the most vulnerable to lockdowns, and these sectors had the most jobs furloughed at the height of the Spring lockdown at 602 thousand, and 932 thousand respectively.
Employment rate in the United Kingdom from March 1971 to March 2022
Characteristic
Employment rate
Mar 22
75.7%
Feb 22
75.5%
Jan 22
75.6%
Dec 21
75.5%
Nov 21
75.5%
Oct 21
75.5%
Sep 21
75.4%
Aug 21
75.3%
Jul 21
75.2%
Jun 21
75.1%
May 21
74.8%
Apr 21
74.7%
Mar 21
74.7%
Feb 21
74.7%
Jan 21
74.6%
Dec 20
74.7%
Nov 20
74.9%
Oct 20
74.9%
Sep 20
75%
Aug 20
75.6%
Jul 20
75.8%
Jun 20
75.8%
May 20
75.9%
Apr 20
76%
Mar 20
76.3%
Feb 20
76.6%
Jan 20
76.5%
Dec 19
76.5%
Nov 19
76.3%
Oct 19
76.2%
Sep 19
76%
Aug 19
75.9%
Jul 19
76.1%
Jun 19
76.1%
May 19
76%
Apr 19
76.1%
Mar 19
76.1%
Feb 19
76.1%
Jan 19
76.1%
Dec 18
75.8%
Nov 18
75.8%
Oct 18
75.7%
Sep 18
75.6%
Aug 18
75.6%
Jul 18
75.5%
Jun 18
75.5%
May 18
75.6%
Apr 18
75.6%
Mar 18
75.6%
Feb 18
75.4%
Jan 18
75.3%
Dec 17
75.2%
Nov 17
75.3%
Oct 17
75.1%
Sep 17
75%
Aug 17
75.1%
Jul 17
75.3%
Jun 17
75.1%
May 17
74.9%
Apr 17
74.8%
Mar 17
74.8%
Feb 17
74.6%
Jan 17
74.5%
Dec 16
74.6%
Nov 16
74.4%
Oct 16
74.4%
Sep 16
74.4%
Aug 16
74.5%
Jul 16
74.5%
Jun 16
74.4%
May 16
74.4%
Apr 16
74.2%
Mar 16
74.1%
Feb 16
74.1%
Jan 16
74.1%
Dec 15
74.1%
Nov 15
74%
Oct 15
74%
Sep 15
73.8%
Aug 15
73.6%
Jul 15
73.5%
Jun 15
73.4%
May 15
73.3%
Apr 15
73.4%
Mar 15
73.4%
Feb 15
73.4%
Jan 15
73.3%
Dec 14
73.2%
Nov 14
73%
Oct 14
73%
Sep 14
73%
Aug 14
73%
Jul 14
72.8%
Jun 14
72.8%
May 14
72.9%
Apr 14
72.7%
Mar 14
72.5%
Feb 14
72.4%
Jan 14
72.1%
Dec 13
72%
Nov 13
72%
Oct 13
71.9%
Sep 13
71.7%
Aug 13
71.5%
Jul 13
71.5%
Jun 13
71.3%
May 13
71.2%
Apr 13
71.2%
Mar 13
71.2%
Feb 13
71.2%
Jan 13
71.4%
Dec 12
71.4%
Nov 12
71.3%
Oct 12
71.1%
Sep 12
71.1%
Aug 12
71.2%
Jul 12
71.1%
Jun 12
70.9%
May 12
70.7%
Apr 12
70.5%
Mar 12
70.5%
Feb 12
70.3%
Jan 12
70.2%
Dec 11
70.2%
Nov 11
70.1%
Oct 11
70.1%
Sep 11
70.1%
Aug 11
70.2%
Jul 11
70.2%
Jun 11
70.5%
May 11
70.5%
Apr 11
70.5%
Mar 11
70.5%
Feb 11
70.6%
Jan 11
70.5%
Dec 10
70.4%
Nov 10
70.3%
Oct 10
70.5%
Sep 10
70.7%
Aug 10
70.6%
Jul 10
70.6%
Jun 10
70.4%
May 10
70.4%
Apr 10
70.2%
Mar 10
70.2%
Feb 10
70.3%
Jan 10
70.4%
Dec 09
70.6%
Nov 09
70.6%
Oct 09
70.6%
Sep 09
70.6%
Aug 09
70.7%
Jul 09
70.6%
Jun 09
70.8%
May 09
71%
Apr 09
71.4%
Mar 09
71.7%
Feb 09
71.9%
Jan 09
72.2%
Dec 08
72.2%
Nov 08
72.3%
Oct 08
72.3%
Sep 08
72.4%
Aug 08
72.6%
Jul 08
72.8%
Jun 08
72.9%
May 08
73%
Apr 08
73%
Mar 08
73%
Feb 08
73%
Jan 08
72.9%
Dec 07
72.9%
Nov 07
72.8%
Oct 07
72.8%
Sep 07
72.7%
Aug 07
72.6%
Jul 07
72.6%
Jun 07
72.7%
May 07
72.7%
Apr 07
72.5%
Mar 07
72.5%
Feb 07
72.5%
Jan 07
72.6%
Dec 06
72.7%
Nov 06
72.7%
Oct 06
72.8%
Sep 06
72.8%
Aug 06
73%
Jul 06
72.9%
Jun 06
72.8%
May 06
72.8%
Apr 06
72.9%
Mar 06
72.9%
Feb 06
72.8%
Jan 06
72.8%
Dec 05
72.7%
Nov 05
72.8%
Oct 05
72.9%
Sep 05
73%
Aug 05
73%
Jul 05
73%
Jun 05
72.9%
May 05
72.9%
Apr 05
72.9%
Mar 05
73.1%
Feb 05
73.2%
Jan 05
73.1%
Dec 04
73%
Nov 04
73%
Oct 04
72.9%
Sep 04
72.9%
Aug 04
72.8%
Jul 04
72.8%
Jun 04
72.9%
May 04
72.9%
Apr 04
73%
Mar 04
73%
Feb 04
73%
Jan 04
73%
Dec 03
72.8%
Nov 03
72.8%
Oct 03
72.8%
Sep 03
72.8%
Aug 03
72.8%
Jul 03
72.8%
Jun 03
72.9%
May 03
72.8%
Apr 03
72.7%
Mar 03
72.7%
Feb 03
72.6%
Jan 03
72.8%
Dec 02
72.9%
Nov 02
72.8%
Oct 02
72.7%
Sep 02
72.6%
Aug 02
72.7%
Jul 02
72.6%
Jun 02
72.7%
May 02
72.6%
Apr 02
72.6%
Mar 02
72.5%
Feb 02
72.5%
Jan 02
72.5%
Dec 01
72.6%
Nov 01
72.6%
Oct 01
72.5%
Sep 01
72.5%
Aug 01
72.6%
Jul 01
72.6%
Jun 01
72.7%
May 01
72.7%
Apr 01
72.7%
Mar 01
72.6%
Feb 01
72.6%
Jan 01
72.7%
Dec 00
72.5%
Nov 00
72.4%
Oct 00
72.5%
Sep 00
72.6%
Aug 00
72.7%
Jul 00
72.6%
Jun 00
72.5%
May 00
72.4%
Apr 00
72.3%
Mar 00
72.3%
Feb 00
72.2%
Jan 00
72.2%
Dec 99
72.3%
Nov 99
72.2%
Oct 99
72.1%
Sep 99
72.1%
Aug 99
72%
Jul 99
71.9%
Jun 99
71.9%
May 99
71.8%
Apr 99
71.8%
Mar 99
71.9%
Feb 99
71.9%
Jan 99
71.9%
Dec 98
71.8%
Nov 98
71.8%
Oct 98
71.6%
Sep 98
71.6%
Aug 98
71.6%
Jul 98
71.4%
Jun 98
71.3%
May 98
71.3%
Apr 98
71.3%
Mar 98
71.3%
Feb 98
71.2%
Jan 98
71.2%
Dec 97
71.2%
Nov 97
71.2%
Oct 97
71.1%
Sep 97
71.1%
Aug 97
70.9%
Jul 97
70.9%
Jun 97
71%
May 97
70.9%
Apr 97
70.9%
Mar 97
70.8%
Feb 97
70.6%
Jan 97
70.5%
Dec 96
70.3%
Nov 96
70.3%
Oct 96
70.1%
Sep 96
70%
Aug 96
70%
Jul 96
69.9%
Jun 96
69.9%
May 96
69.9%
Apr 96
69.9%
Mar 96
69.9%
Feb 96
69.9%
Jan 96
70%
Dec 95
69.9%
Nov 95
69.7%
Oct 95
69.7%
Sep 95
69.6%
Aug 95
69.6%
Jul 95
69.5%
Jun 95
69.4%
May 95
69.4%
Apr 95
69.3%
Mar 95
69.2%
Feb 95
69.1%
Jan 95
69%
Dec 94
69.1%
Nov 94
69.1%
Oct 94
69%
Sep 94
69%
Aug 94
69%
Jul 94
69%
Jun 94
68.8%
May 94
68.8%
Apr 94
68.8%
Mar 94
68.7%
Feb 94
68.6%
Jan 94
68.5%
Dec 93
68.5%
Nov 93
68.5%
Oct 93
68.5%
Sep 93
68.5%
Aug 93
68.4%
Jul 93
68.4%
Jun 93
68.4%
May 93
68.4%
Apr 93
68.3%
Mar 93
68.4%
Feb 93
68.3%
Jan 93
68.4%
Dec 92
68.5%
Nov 92
68.7%
Oct 92
68.8%
Sep 92
68.9%
Aug 92
68.9%
Jul 92
69%
Jun 92
69.1%
May 92
69.2%
Apr 92
69.3%
Mar 92
69.4%
Feb 92
69.5%
Jan 92
69.6%
Dec 91
69.8%
Nov 91
69.9%
Oct 91
70.1%
Sep 91
70.3%
Aug 91
70.5%
Jul 91
70.7%
Jun 91
71%
May 91
71.2%
Apr 91
71.5%
Mar 91
71.7%
Feb 91
71.9%
Jan 91
72.1%
Dec 90
72.3%
Nov 90
72.4%
Oct 90
72.6%
Sep 90
72.7%
Aug 90
72.8%
Jul 90
72.8%
Jun 90
72.8%
May 90
72.8%
Apr 90
72.8%
Mar 90
72.8%
Feb 90
72.8%
Jan 90
72.8%
Dec 89
72.8%
Nov 89
72.7%
Oct 89
72.6%
Sep 89
72.6%
Aug 89
72.5%
Jul 89
72.5%
Jun 89
72.4%
May 89
72.4%
Apr 89
72.3%
Mar 89
72.1%
Feb 89
71.9%
Jan 89
71.7%
Dec 88
71.5%
Nov 88
71.4%
Oct 88
71.3%
Sep 88
71.1%
Aug 88
70.9%
Jul 88
70.8%
Jun 88
70.7%
May 88
70.5%
Apr 88
70.4%
Mar 88
70.2%
Feb 88
70%
Jan 88
69.9%
Dec 87
69.7%
Nov 87
69.5%
Oct 87
69.3%
Sep 87
69.1%
Aug 87
68.9%
Jul 87
68.7%
Jun 87
68.5%
May 87
68.3%
Apr 87
68.2%
Mar 87
68.1%
Feb 87
68%
Jan 87
68%
Dec 86
67.9%
Nov 86
67.9%
Oct 86
67.8%
Sep 86
67.8%
Aug 86
67.7%
Jul 86
67.6%
Jun 86
67.6%
May 86
67.6%
Apr 86
67.6%
Mar 86
67.6%
Feb 86
67.6%
Jan 86
67.5%
Dec 85
67.5%
Nov 85
67.5%
Oct 85
67.5%
Sep 85
67.5%
Aug 85
67.4%
Jul 85
67.4%
Jun 85
67.4%
May 85
67.3%
Apr 85
67.3%
Mar 85
67.3%
Feb 85
67.2%
Jan 85
67.1%
Dec 84
67.1%
Nov 84
67%
Oct 84
66.9%
Sep 84
66.8%
Aug 84
66.8%
Jul 84
66.7%
Jun 84
66.7%
May 84
66.6%
Apr 84
66.6%
Mar 84
66.5%
Feb 84
66.4%
Jan 84
66.4%
Dec 83
66.3%
Nov 83
66.2%
Oct 83
66%
Sep 83
65.9%
Aug 83
65.7%
Jul 83
65.6%
Jun 83
65.6%
May 83
65.6%
Apr 83
65.6%
Mar 83
65.7%
Feb 83
65.8%
Jan 83
65.9%
Dec 82
66.1%
Nov 82
66.3%
Oct 82
66.5%
Sep 82
66.6%
Aug 82
66.8%
Jul 82
66.9%
Jun 82
67.1%
May 82
67.2%
Apr 82
67.3%
Mar 82
67.4%
Feb 82
67.5%
Jan 82
67.6%
Dec 81
67.7%
Nov 81
67.9%
Oct 81
68.1%
Sep 81
68.2%
Aug 81
68.4%
Jul 81
68.5%
Jun 81
68.7%
May 81
68.9%
Apr 81
69.1%
Mar 81
69.3%
Feb 81
69.5%
Jan 81
69.7%
Dec 80
69.9%
Nov 80
70.2%
Oct 80
70.4%
Sep 80
70.7%
Aug 80
70.9%
Jul 80
71.1%
Jun 80
71.2%
May 80
71.3%
Apr 80
71.4%
Mar 80
71.5%
Feb 80
71.6%
Jan 80
71.7%
Dec 79
71.7%
Nov 79
71.8%
Oct 79
71.8%
Sep 79
71.8%
Aug 79
71.8%
Jul 79
71.8%
Jun 79
71.7%
May 79
71.7%
Apr 79
71.7%
Mar 79
71.8%
Feb 79
71.8%
Jan 79
71.8%
Dec 78
71.7%
Nov 78
71.6%
Oct 78
71.6%
Sep 78
71.5%
Aug 78
71.5%
Jul 78
71.5%
Jun 78
71.5%
May 78
71.5%
Apr 78
71.5%
Mar 78
71.5%
Feb 78
71.5%
Jan 78
71.5%
Dec 77
71.5%
Nov 77
71.5%
Oct 77
71.6%
Sep 77
71.6%
Aug 77
71.6%
Jul 77
71.6%
Jun 77
71.6%
May 77
71.7%
Apr 77
71.7%
Mar 77
71.8%
Feb 77
71.8%
Jan 77
71.8%
Dec 76
71.8%
Nov 76
71.8%
Oct 76
71.8%
Sep 76
71.9%
Aug 76
71.9%
Jul 76
71.9%
Jun 76
72%
May 76
72%
Apr 76
72%
Mar 76
72.1%
Feb 76
72.2%
Jan 76
72.3%
Dec 75
72.3%
Nov 75
72.4%
Oct 75
72.5%
Sep 75
72.6%
Aug 75
72.6%
Jul 75
72.7%
Jun 75
72.7%
May 75
72.7%
Apr 75
72.8%
Mar 75
72.9%
Feb 75
72.9%
Jan 75
73%
Dec 74
73.1%
Nov 74
73.1%
Oct 74
73.1%
Sep 74
73.1%
Aug 74
73.1%
Jul 74
73%
Jun 74
73%
May 74
72.9%
Apr 74
72.9%
Mar 74
72.9%
Feb 74
73%
Jan 74
73%
Dec 73
73%
Nov 73
73%
Oct 73
72.9%
Sep 73
72.9%
Aug 73
72.9%
Jul 73
72.9%
Jun 73
73%
May 73
73%
Apr 73
72.9%
Mar 73
72.8%
Feb 73
72.6%
Jan 73
72.4%
Dec 72
72.2%
Nov 72
72.1%
Oct 72
72%
Sep 72
72%
Aug 72
71.9%
Jul 72
71.9%
Jun 72
71.9%
May 72
71.9%
Apr 72
71.9%
Mar 72
71.8%
Feb 72
71.6%
Jan 72
71.5%
Dec 71
71.5%
Nov 71
71.5%
Oct 71
71.6%
Sep 71
71.7%
Aug 71
71.8%
Jul 71
71.9%
Jun 71
72%
May 71
72%
Apr 71
72.1%
Mar 71
72.2%
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Office for National Statistics (UK). (May 17, 2022). Employment rate in the United Kingdom from March 1971 to March 2022 [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved May 20, 2022, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/281992/employment-rate-in-the-united-kingdom/
Office for National Statistics (UK). "Employment rate in the United Kingdom from March 1971 to March 2022." Chart. May 17, 2022. Statista. Accessed May 20, 2022. https://www.statista.com/statistics/281992/employment-rate-in-the-united-kingdom/
Office for National Statistics (UK). (2022). Employment rate in the United Kingdom from March 1971 to March 2022. Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: May 20, 2022. https://www.statista.com/statistics/281992/employment-rate-in-the-united-kingdom/
Office for National Statistics (UK). "Employment Rate in The United Kingdom from March 1971 to March 2022." Statista, Statista Inc., 17 May 2022, https://www.statista.com/statistics/281992/employment-rate-in-the-united-kingdom/
Office for National Statistics (UK), Employment rate in the United Kingdom from March 1971 to March 2022 Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/281992/employment-rate-in-the-united-kingdom/ (last visited May 20, 2022)
