Ireland vs United Kingdom: Unemployment rate,Percent
Ireland
5.0%
in 2026
United Kingdom
4.8%
in 2025
Ireland rank
39th
United Kingdom rank
41st
Unemployment rate,Percent over time
- Ireland
- United Kingdom
How they compare
Ireland currently reports 5.0% against 4.8% in United Kingdom, a difference of 0.2%.
The two have swapped places 3 times across 36 shared years of data; in 1990 it was Ireland ahead.
Ireland ranks 39th and United Kingdom ranks 41st of 71 countries.
Ireland has averaged higher in every one of the 4 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Ireland | United Kingdom | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 12.1% | 8.2% | 3.9% | Ireland |
| 2000s | 5.7% | 5.4% | 0.2% | Ireland |
| 2010s | 10.7% | 6.0% | 4.7% | Ireland |
| 2020s | 5.0% | 4.4% | 0.6% | Ireland |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher unemployment rate,percent, Ireland or United Kingdom?
- Ireland, at 5.0% against 4.8% in United Kingdom as of 2026.
- What is the difference in unemployment rate,percent between Ireland and United Kingdom?
- 0.2%, with Ireland ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Ireland and United Kingdom?
- 36 years are reported by both, from 1990 to 2025.
- How do Ireland and United Kingdom rank globally for unemployment rate,percent?
- Ireland ranks 39th and United Kingdom ranks 41st of 71 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- The World Bank, published as Unemployment rate,Percent,,,. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.