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United Kingdom Unemployment Rate
Last Release
May 31, 2025
Actual
4.7
Units In
%
Previous
4.6
Frequency
Monthly
Next Release
Aug 12, 2025
Time to Release
24 Days 8 Hours
Highest | Lowest | Average | Date Range | Source |
11.9 Apr 1984 | 3.4 Dec 1973 | 6.64 % | 1971-2025 | Office for National Statistics |
In the United Kingdom, the unemployment rate measures the number of people actively looking for a job as a percentage of the labour force.
Latest Updates
The United Kingdom’s unemployment rate rose to 4.7% in the three months to May 2025, defying market expectations that it would remain at April’s 2.6%. This marks the highest level since the three months ending July 2021. Compared to the prior period, unemployment increased for those unemployed of up to 6 months, between 6 and 12 months, and over 12 months. On an annual basis, unemployment also rose across each of these categories. Meanwhile, the number of employed individuals grew by 134 thousand to 34.13 million—the highest since February—driven by gains in both part-time and full-time employment. The number of people holding second jobs also increased, now accounting for 3.9% of all employed individuals. Lastly, the economic inactivity rate fell by 0.3 percentage points to 21%.
United Kingdom Unemployment Rate History
Last 12 readings