Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates was 4.9% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in United Kingdom, 1971–2025
Source: Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in United Kingdom stood at 4.9%.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 12.3% on the previous year and down 11.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in United Kingdom peaked at 11.5% in 1986 and was at its lowest, 2.6%, in 1973.
United Kingdom ranks 103rd of 185 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 55 years of available data.
Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 3.3% | — |
| 1972 | 3.7% | +12.1% |
| 1973 | 2.6% | -29.7% |
| 1974 | 2.6% | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 4.0% | +53.8% |
| 1976 | 5.5% | +37.5% |
| 1977 | 5.8% | +5.5% |
| 1978 | 5.0% | -13.9% |
| 1979 | 3.7% | -25.8% |
| 1980 | 3.9% | +4.9% |
| 1981 | 10.4% | +167.9% |
| 1982 | 10.9% | +4.8% |
| 1983 | 11.1% | +1.7% |
| 1984 | 10.9% | -1.7% |
| 1985 | 11.5% | +5.3% |
| 1986 | 11.5% | +0.2% |
| 1987 | 11.0% | -4.3% |
| 1988 | 9.0% | -18.3% |
| 1989 | 7.4% | -17.8% |
| 1990 | 7.0% | -5.9% |
| 1991 | 8.6% | +22.7% |
| 1992 | 9.8% | +14.3% |
| 1993 | 10.3% | +5.9% |
| 1994 | 9.6% | -6.7% |
| 1995 | 8.7% | -9.9% |
| 1996 | 8.2% | -5.8% |
| 1997 | 7.1% | -13.6% |
| 1998 | 6.2% | -12.4% |
| 1999 | 6.0% | -2.5% |
| 2000 | 5.6% | -8.0% |
| 2001 | 4.7% | -15.5% |
| 2002 | 5.0% | +7.3% |
| 2003 | 4.8% | -4.6% |
| 2004 | 4.6% | -4.4% |
| 2005 | 4.9% | +6.3% |
| 2006 | 5.5% | +12.0% |
| 2007 | 5.4% | -1.3% |
| 2008 | 5.7% | +6.5% |
| 2009 | 7.7% | +33.7% |
| 2010 | 8.0% | +3.8% |
| 2011 | 8.2% | +2.8% |
| 2012 | 8.3% | +1.0% |
| 2013 | 7.8% | -6.4% |
| 2014 | 6.4% | -17.5% |
| 2015 | 5.6% | -13.2% |
| 2016 | 4.9% | -11.6% |
| 2017 | 4.5% | -8.3% |
| 2018 | 4.1% | -7.9% |
| 2019 | 3.7% | -11.8% |
| 2020 | 4.5% | +23.5% |
| 2021 | 4.9% | +7.7% |
| 2022 | 3.8% | -22.5% |
| 2023 | 4.0% | +6.8% |
| 2024 | 4.4% | +8.3% |
| 2025 | 4.9% | +12.3% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 4.9% is below the median for high income countries, which is 4.9%, 100% of the median. (77 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 4.9% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 5.6%, 88% of the median. (52 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in United Kingdom changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | +167.9% | 3.9% | 10.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 4.0% | 2.6% | 5.8% | 9 |
| 1980s | 9.8% | 3.9% | 11.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 8.1% | 6.0% | 10.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 5.4% | 4.6% | 7.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.1% | 3.7% | 8.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.4% | 3.8% | 4.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
- 100 San Marino 4.9% compare
- 101 Croatia 4.9% compare
- 101 Kazakhstan 4.9% compare
- 104 Brunei 4.9% compare
- 105 Honduras 4.9% compare
- 106 Switzerland 4.8% compare
More reference data data for United Kingdom
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 3.13 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 3.97 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 13.26 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.01 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 13.26 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 10.5 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 6.51 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 15.81 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 59.34 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 5.48 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in United Kingdom?
- Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates in United Kingdom was 4.9% in 2025, according to Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 11.5% in 1986.
- What is the lowest unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.6% in 1973.
- How does United Kingdom rank for unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates?
- United Kingdom ranks 103rd out of 185 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is down 11.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
- The figures come from Labour Force Statistics, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Unemployment rates: modeled vs. national estimates. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 55 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of the labor force without work, but actively looking for a job and available to start soon. Figures refer to national estimates and may not be fully comparable across countries.