Jobs and work indicator
Employment rate
Employment alone does not describe the whole labour market. Unemployment shows people actively seeking work, while inactivity includes people neither working nor currently seeking work.
Verified primary sourceLong-term trend
The displayed series runs from 2024 MAY-JUL (74.7%) to 2026 APR-JUN (75.1%). This is descriptive and does not attribute causation.
Accessible data table
| Period | Value |
|---|---|
| 2024 MAY-JUL | 74.7% |
| 2024 JUN-AUG | 75% |
| 2024 JUL-SEP | 75% |
| 2024 AUG-OCT | 74.9% |
| 2024 SEP-NOV | 74.8% |
| 2024 OCT-DEC | 75% |
| 2024 NOV-JAN | 75% |
| 2024 DEC-FEB | 75.1% |
| 2025 JAN-MAR | 75.1% |
| 2025 FEB-APR | 75.1% |
| 2025 MAR-MAY | 75.2% |
| 2025 APR-JUN | 75.3% |
| 2025 MAY-JUL | 75.2% |
| 2025 JUN-AUG | 75.1% |
| 2025 JUL-SEP | 75.1% |
| 2025 AUG-OCT | 74.9% |
| 2025 SEP-NOV | 75.1% |
| 2025 OCT-DEC | 75% |
| 2025 NOV-JAN | 75.1% |
| 2025 DEC-FEB | 75% |
| 2026 JAN-MAR | 75% |
| 2026 FEB-APR | 75.1% |
| 2026 MAR-MAY | 75.1% |
| 2026 APR-JUN | 75.1% |
Insight
FactWhat the data show. Employment rate was 75.1% in 2026 APR-JUN.
CalculationWhat has changed. The change from 2026 MAR-MAY is 0 percentage points.
ComparisonHow it compares. Comparison awaiting period-aligned review. The year-earlier value was 75.3%.
InterpretationWhy it may matter. Labour-market conditions affect household incomes, tax receipts, benefit spending, recruitment pressures and the amount of spare capacity in the economy.
LimitationImportant limitations. Survey estimates are subject to sampling uncertainty and revision. ONS labour rates are rolling three-month estimates and official statistics in development. The comparable OECD employment benchmark uses ages 15 to 64; the ONS headline card uses ages 16 to 64.
MeasurementHow progress could be measured. Continue the same monthly series, record revisions and compare like-for-like reporting periods.