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US vs UK Unemployment
United Kingdom moved above United States in 2001. In 1991 United States stood at roughly 80% of United Kingdom’s Unemployment; today the figure is about 88%, and the pair was closest in 2019 (100%).
| Year | United States | United Kingdom | UK as % of US |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 8.55% | 6.8% | 80% |
| 1970 | 8.55% | 6.8% | 80% |
| 1980 | 8.55% | 6.8% | 80% |
| 1990 | 8.55% | 6.8% | 80% |
| 2000 | 5.56% | 3.99% | 72% |
| 2010 | 7.97% | 9.63% | 121% |
| 2020 | 4.47% | 8.06% | 180% |
| 2025 | 4.75% | 4.2% | 88% |
Frequently asked questions
When did United Kingdom move above United States in Unemployment?
In 2001. United Kingdom’s published Unemployment rose above United States’s that year.
How do United States and United Kingdom compare today?
United Kingdom is ahead: 4.75% against 4.2% — the trailing economy stands at about 88% of the leader.
Are these Unemployment figures nominal or adjusted?
The series is a share expressed in % of total labor force, exactly as the World Bank publishes it; movements are percentage points, not percent.
Full series
Every published year for both economies, with charts, downloads and citations: