• Employment rate UK 2020

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In the three months to December 2020, the employment rate in the United Kingdom was 75 percent, compared with 76.3 percent for the same period in 2019. After almost dropping below 70 percent in 2011, the employment rate in the United Kingdom started to climb at a relatively fast pace, reaching 76.6 per cent in January 2020. After reaching that particular peak however, the employment rate has declined, and fell to 75.2 percent in the most recent months, following 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 in April 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 December 31, 2020, over 3.82 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 1.84 million, and 1.63 million respectively.

Employment rate in the United Kingdom from March 1971 to December 2020

	Employment rate
Dec 20	75%
Nov 20	75.2%
Oct 20	75.2%
Sep 20	75.3%
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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Release date

February 2021

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Region

United Kingdom

Survey time period

March 1971 to December 2020

Age group

16-64

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Employment rate in the UK 1971-2020

Record employment levels prior to pandemic

Government safety net keeping jobs on furlough

Employment rate in the United Kingdom from March 1971 to December 2020

Other statistics on the topic
Employment in the UK

Statistics on "Employment in the UK"

Further Content: You might find this interesting as well

Statistics

Topics

Record employment levels prior to pandemic

Government safety net keeping jobs on furlough

Employment rate in the United Kingdom from March 1971 to December 2020

Other statistics on the topicEmployment in the UK

Statistics on "Employment in the UK"

Further Content: You might find this interesting as well

Statistics

Topics

Other statistics on the topic
Employment in the UK