Dependency rates - Regions — Dependency ratio in United Kingdom

United Kingdom: Dependency rates - Regions — Dependency ratio was 29.44 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years in 2022. ▲ Rising

Latest (2022)
29.44 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years
Change on year
up 0.8%
World rank
27th
of 49 countries
All-time high
29.44 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years
in 2022
All-time low
23.94 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years
in 2007
Years of data
33
1990–2022

Dependency rates - Regions — Dependency ratio in United Kingdom, 1990–2022

01020301990200620221990: 24.1 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years1991: 24.2 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years1992: 24.4 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years1993: 24.5 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years1994: 24.5 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years1995: 24.5 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years1996: 24.5 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years1997: 24.5 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years1998: 24.4 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years1999: 24.3 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years2000: 24.3 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years2001: 24.3 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years2002: 24.2 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years2003: 24.2 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years2004: 24.2 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years2005: 24.1 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years2006: 23.9 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years2007: 23.9 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years2008: 24.1 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years2009: 24.4 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years2010: 24.8 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years2011: 25.1 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years2012: 26 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years2013: 26.7 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years2014: 27.2 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years2015: 27.6 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years2016: 27.9 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years2017: 28.3 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years2018: 28.6 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years2019: 29 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years2020: 29.3 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years2021: 29.2 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years2022: 29.4 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years

Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Measured in Percentage of population aged 15-64 years.

Analysis

The most recent figure for dependency rates - regions — dependency ratio in United Kingdom is 29.44 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years, measured in 2022. That is the highest value across all 33 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.8% on the previous year and up 13.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, dependency rates - regions — dependency ratio in United Kingdom peaked at 29.44 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years in 2022 and was at its lowest, 23.94 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years, in 2007.

That places United Kingdom 27th out of 49 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 33 years of available data.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 24.38 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years 24.06 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years 24.5 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years 10
2000s 24.18 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years 23.94 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years 24.44 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years 10
2010s 27.11 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years 24.76 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years 28.98 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years 10
2020s 29.31 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years 29.22 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years 29.44 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years 3

Countries ranked near United Kingdom

  1. 24 Spain 31.22 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years compare
  2. 25 Austria 30.88 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years compare
  3. 26 Switzerland 29.79 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years compare
  4. 28 Norway 29.2 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years compare
  5. 29 Canada 28.75 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years compare
  6. 30 North Macedonia 28.68 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years compare

See the full ranking of 54 places →

More reference data data for United Kingdom

All data for United Kingdom →

Frequently asked questions

What is dependency rates - regions — dependency ratio in United Kingdom?
Dependency rates - regions — dependency ratio in United Kingdom was 29.44 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years in 2022, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
What is the highest dependency rates - regions — dependency ratio recorded in United Kingdom?
The highest recorded value was 29.44 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years in 2022.
What is the lowest dependency rates - regions — dependency ratio recorded in United Kingdom?
The lowest recorded value was 23.94 Percentage of population aged 15-64 years in 2007.
How does United Kingdom rank for dependency rates - regions — dependency ratio?
United Kingdom ranks 27th out of 49 countries with data for 2022.
Is dependency rates - regions — dependency ratio rising or falling in United Kingdom?
Over the last ten years it is up 13.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
The figures come from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, published as part of Dependency rates - Regions — Dependency ratio. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Dependency rates - Regions — Dependency ratio in United Kingdom. Statizoid, drawing on Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Retrieved 17 August 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/dependency-rates-regions-dependency-ratio/united-kingdom/

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About this data

Indicator
Dependency rates - Regions — Dependency ratio
Unit
Percentage of population aged 15-64 years
Source
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
Licence
OECD Terms and Conditions (attribution required)
Coverage
54 places, 1,749 data points, 1990–2025
Last refreshed

<p>This dataset provides indicators on dependency rates, in large regions (TL2) and small regions (TL3).</p> <p><strong>Data definition and source</strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;">The dependency ratio is a demographic indicator that measures the ratio of dependents (typically defined as those too young or too old to work) to the working-age population. The most common age ranges used for the working-age population are 20-64 and 15-64. Data is collected from Eurostat (reg_dem) for EU countries and via delegates of the OECD Working Party on Territorial Indicators (WPTI), as well as from national statistical offices' websites.</p> <p><strong>Definition of regions</strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Regions are subnational units below national boundaries. OECD countries have two regional levels: large regions (territorial level 2 or TL2) and small regions (territorial level 3 or TL3). For more information, see the OECD Territorial grid <a href="https://webfs-cfe.oecd.org/files/.Stat/region/OECD_territorial-grid_TL2024.pdf">(pdf)</a> and the OECD Territorial Correspondence Table <a href="https://webfs-cfe.oecd.org/files/.Stat/region/OECD%20Territorial%20correspondence%20-%20TL2024c.xlsx">(xlsx)</a>.&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Use of data on small regions</strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;">When demographic data are analysed along with economic data using the TL3 level, it is advisable to aggregate data at the metropolitan region level when several TL3 regions are associated to the same metropolitan region. Metropolitan regions combine TL3 regions when 50% or more of the regional population live in a functionnal urban areas above 250 000 inhabitants. This approach corrects the distortions created by commuting, see the list of OECD metropolitan regions <a href="https://webfs-cfe.oecd.org/files/.Stat/region/OECD%20Territorial%20correspondence%20-%20TL2024c.xlsx">(xlsx)</a> and the EU methodology <a href="https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/metropolitan-regions/background">(link)</a>.</p> <p><strong>Territorial typologies</strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Small TL3 regions are categorized based on shared characteristics into regional typologies. See the demographic indicators aggregated by territorial typology at country level on the access to City typology <a href="https://data-explorer.oecd.org/vis?df[ds]=dsDisseminateFinalDMZ&amp;df[id]=DSD_REG_DEMO%40DF_REGION_TYPE_METRO&amp;df[ag]=OECD.CFE.EDS&amp;df[vs]=1.0">(link)</a> and by urban-rural typology <a href="https://data-explorer.oecd.org/vis?df[ds]=dsDisseminateFinalDMZ&amp;df[id]=DSD_REG_DEMO%40DF_REGION_TYPE_RURB&amp;df[ag]=OECD.CFE.EDS&amp;df[vs]=1.0">(link)</a>.&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Cite this dataset</strong></p> <p>OECD Regions, Cities and Local Areas database&nbsp;<a href="http://oe.cd/geostats">http://oe.cd/geostats</a>.</p> <p><strong>Further information</strong></p> <ul> <li><a href="https://regions-cities-atlas.oecd.org/">OECD Regions and Cities Statistical Atlas</a>&nbsp;</li> <li><a href="https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/oecd-regions-and-cities-at-a-glance-2024_f42db3bf-en.html">OECD Regions and Cities at a Glance</a></li> </ul> <p>For questions and/or comments, please email <a href="mailto:RegionStat@oecd.org">RegionStat@oecd.org</a>.</p>