Duration of working life in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Duration of working life was 39.2 in 2018. ▲ Rising
Latest (2018)
39.2
Change on year
up 0.5%
World rank
15th
of 46 countries
All-time high
39.2
in 2018
All-time low
36.8
in 2001
Years of data
19
2000–2018
Duration of working life in United Kingdom, 2000–2018
Source: Eurostat.
Analysis
United Kingdom recorded 39.2 for duration of working life in 2018. That is the highest value across all 19 years on record.
The figure is up 0.5% on the previous year and up 3.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, duration of working life in United Kingdom peaked at 39.2 in 2018 and was at its lowest, 36.8, in 2001.
United Kingdom ranks 15th of 46 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 19 years of available data.
Duration of working life in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 37 | — |
| 2001 | 36.8 | -0.5% |
| 2002 | 37 | +0.5% |
| 2003 | 37.1 | +0.3% |
| 2004 | 37.2 | +0.3% |
| 2005 | 37.6 | +1.1% |
| 2006 | 37.9 | +0.8% |
| 2007 | 37.8 | -0.3% |
| 2008 | 38 | +0.5% |
| 2009 | 38 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 38 | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 38.1 | +0.3% |
| 2012 | 38.3 | +0.5% |
| 2013 | 38.5 | +0.5% |
| 2014 | 38.6 | +0.3% |
| 2015 | 38.7 | +0.3% |
| 2016 | 38.9 | +0.5% |
| 2017 | 39 | +0.3% |
| 2018 | 39.2 | +0.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 37.44 | 36.8 | 38 | 10 |
| 2010s | 38.59 | 38 | 39.2 | 9 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
More reference data data for United Kingdom
- Cooling and heating degree days by NUTS 2 regions - monthly data 1.57 % change on previous year (2025)
- Cooling and heating degree days by NUTS 2 regions - annual data -3.65 % change on previous year (2025)
- Cooling and heating degree days by NUTS 3 region - annual data 2,710 (2025)
- Cooling and heating degree days by NUTS 3 region - monthly data 358.44 (2025)
- R&D personnel by sector of performance and region — R&D Personnel 739,816 Persons (2017)
- Victims in road accidents by NUTS 2 region 1,860 (2016)
- Stock of vehicles by category and NUTS 2 region 36.71 million (2018)
- Deaths (total) by NUTS 3 region 614,313 (2018)
- Establishments, bedrooms and bed-places in tourist accommodation, by 84,580 (2016)
- Deaths by age, sex and NUTS 2 region 614,313 (2018)
Frequently asked questions
- What is duration of working life in United Kingdom?
- Duration of working life in United Kingdom was 39.2 in 2018, according to Eurostat.
- What is the highest duration of working life recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 39.2 in 2018.
- What is the lowest duration of working life recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 36.8 in 2001.
- How does United Kingdom rank for duration of working life?
- United Kingdom ranks 15th out of 46 countries with data for 2018.
- Is duration of working life rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
- The figures come from Eurostat, published as part of Duration of working life. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 19 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Eurostat).