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UK unemployment rateUK unemployment rateUK unemployment rate

UK unemployment rate

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Key data points


Last release
—
Observation period
Apr 2026
Next release
—
Forecast
4.90 %
Highest
11.90 %on Jun 30, 1984
Lowest
3.40 %on Jan 31, 1974

Profile


Category
Labor
Source
Office for National Statistics
Frequency
Monthly
Units
%
In the United Kingdom, the headline unemployment rate is the number of unemployed people (aged 16+) divided by the economically active population (aged 16+).

United Kingdom in figures — see more economic indicators tied to GBUR.
Average Earnings Excluding Bonus
GBAEEB
Average Weekly Hours
GBAWH
Claimant Count Change
GBCCC
Employment Change
GBEMC
Employed Persons
GBEMP
Employment Rate
GBEMR
Full Time Employment
GBFTE
Inactivity Rate
GBINAR
Job Vacancies
GBJV
Labour Costs
GBLC
Labor Force Participation Rate
GBLFPR
Long Term Unemployment Rate
GBLTUR
Living Wage Family
GBLWF
Living Wage Individual
GBLWI
Minimum Wages
GBMW
Nonfarm Payrolls (Jobs Created)
GBNFP
Population
GBPOP
Productivity
GBPROD
Part Time Employment
GBPTE
Retirement Age Men
GBRAM

UK unemployment rate reports history



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Frequently asked questions


To calculate UK unemployment rate you need to take the number of the country residents without a job and looking for work divided by the total number of residents in the labor force.
The lowest ever UK unemployment rate is 3.40%.
The highest figure UK unemployment rate has ever reached is 11.90%.
Last month UK unemployment rate was 4.90%, and the month before it reached 5.00%.