United Kingdom — Unemployment
Unemployment Rate for United Kingdom, 1991–2025.
Unemployment for United Kingdom was 4.75% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 35 years, from 1991 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 10.35% in 1993. The lowest was 3.66% in 2019 (about 1.3× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to -1.72% per year.
United Kingdom ranks 108 of 187 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 58%. The median for Europe & Central Asia is 5.58%, so United Kingdom sits below it. It peaked in 1993 and has fallen 54% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved down 15%. Within Europe & Central Asia it ranks 33 of 49 economies; Norway (4.64%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was up 34% in 2009. That is 7% above this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
World ranking. Slipped: 66th of 187 in 1991 → 112th of 187 in 2000 → 76th of 187 in 2010 → 134th of 187 in 2020 → 103rd of 182 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1991 to 2025
| Year | % of total labor force | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 4.75% | +0.4 pp |
| 2024 | 4.36% | +0.3 pp |
| 2023 | 4.03% | +0.3 pp |
| 2022 | 3.77% | -1.1 pp |
| 2021 | 4.86% | +0.4 pp |
| 2020 | 4.47% | +0.8 pp |
| 2019 | 3.66% | -0.5 pp |
| 2018 | 4.14% | -0.4 pp |
| 2017 | 4.5% | -0.4 pp |
| 2016 | 4.91% | -0.6 pp |
| 2015 | 5.55% | -0.8 pp |
| 2014 | 6.4% | -1.4 pp |
| 2013 | 7.75% | -0.5 pp |
| 2012 | 8.28% | +0.1 pp |
| 2011 | 8.2% | +0.2 pp |
| 2010 | 7.97% | +0.3 pp |
| 2009 | 7.68% | +1.9 pp |
| 2008 | 5.75% | +0.3 pp |
| 2007 | 5.4% | -0.1 pp |
| 2006 | 5.47% | +0.6 pp |
| 2005 | 4.88% | +0.3 pp |
| 2004 | 4.59% | -0.2 pp |
| 2003 | 4.81% | -0.2 pp |
| 2002 | 5.04% | +0.3 pp |
| 2001 | 4.7% | -0.9 pp |
| 2000 | 5.56% | -0.5 pp |
| 1999 | 6.04% | -0.2 pp |
| 1998 | 6.2% | -0.9 pp |
| 1997 | 7.07% | -1.1 pp |
| 1996 | 8.19% | -0.5 pp |
| 1995 | 8.69% | -1.0 pp |
| 1994 | 9.65% | -0.7 pp |
| 1993 | 10.35% | +0.6 pp |
| 1992 | 9.77% | +1.2 pp |
| 1991 | 8.55% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was United Kingdom’s Unemployment in 1992?
9.77% (1992). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are changes in this series measured in percentage points?
Yes. The series is a share expressed in % of total labor force, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is United Kingdom’s Unemployment growing or shrinking?
Between 1991 and 2025 the series was shrinking overall: -44.5% in total — about 1.7% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2025: 4.75%; 2024: 4.36%; 2023: 4.03%; 2022: 3.77%; 2021: 4.86%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS — Unemployment Rate. Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.