The UK unemployment rate was at 3.9 percent in the three months to April 2020, the same as in the previous period and below market expectations of 4.7 percent, as the government Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme helped funding employees wages during lockdown. The number of people out of work fell by 8,000 to 1.34 million, while the number of employed people rose by 6,000 to 32.99 million. The activity rate was at 79.5 percent, lower than March’s all-time high of 79.8 percent. However, the number of people on company payrolls fell by 1.7 percent in May and job vacancies dropped at a record 476K between March and May (-342K than in the previous quarter). Data collected was based on interviews that took place throughout the period from the start of February to the end of April 2020, covering a full month of the covid-19 lockdown.

Unemployment Rate in the United Kingdom averaged 6.93 percent from 1971 until 2020, reaching an all time high of 12 percent in February of 1984 and a record low of 3.40 percent in November of 1973. This page provides the latest reported value for - United Kingdom Unemployment Rate - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news. United Kingdom Unemployment Rate - data, historical chart, forecasts and calendar of releases - was last updated on July of 2020. source: Office for National Statistics

Unemployment Rate in the United Kingdom is expected to be 6.00 percent by the end of this quarter, according to Trading Economics global macro models and analysts expectations. Looking forward, we estimate Unemployment Rate in the United Kingdom to stand at 6.50 in 12 months time. In the long-term, the United Kingdom Unemployment Rate is projected to trend around 6.00 percent in 2021 and 4.60 percent in 2022, according to our econometric models.

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United Kingdom Unemployment Rate

Actual Previous Highest Lowest Dates Unit Frequency
3.90 3.90 12.00 3.40 1971 - 2020 percent Monthly


Calendar GMT Actual Previous Consensus TEForecast
2020-03-17 09:30 AM Jan 3.9% 3.8% 3.8% 3.7%
2020-04-21 06:00 AM Feb 4% 3.9% 3.9% 4%
2020-05-19 06:00 AM Mar 3.9% 4% 4.4% 4.3%
2020-06-16 06:00 AM Apr 3.9% 3.9% 4.7% 4.4%
2020-07-16 06:00 AM May 3.9% 4.1% 4.2%
2020-08-11 06:00 AM Jun 6%
2020-09-15 06:00 AM Jul 6.4%
2020-10-13 06:00 AM Aug 7.2%
Go to our Calendar for more events. Or learn more about the Calendar API for direct access.


News Stream
UK Jobless Rate Steady at 3.9% Despite Lockdown
The UK unemployment rate was at 3.9 percent in the three months to April 2020, the same as in the previous period and below market expectations of 4.7 percent, as the government Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme helped funding employees wages during lockdown. The number of people out of work fell by 8,000 to 1.34 million, while the number of employed people rose by 6,000 to 32.99 million. The activity rate was at 79.5 percent, lower than March’s all-time high of 79.8 percent. However, the number of people on company payrolls fell by 1.7 percent in May and job vacancies dropped at a record 476K between March and May (-342K than in the previous quarter). Data collected was based on interviews that took place throughout the period from the start of February to the end of April 2020, covering a full month of the covid-19 lockdown.
2020-06-16
UK Jobless Rate Unexpectedly Falls to 3.9%
The UK unemployment rate fell to 3.9 percent in the three months to March 2020 from 4.0 percent in the previous period and below market expectations of 4.4 percent. The number of people out of work increased by 58,000 to 1.35 million, while the number of employed people rose by 211,000 to a record high of 33.14 million. The activity rate hit was at an all-time high of 79.8 percent. Data was based on interviews that took place throughout the period from the start of January to the end of March 2020, covering only one week of the coronavirus lockdown.
2020-05-19
UK Unemployment Rate Rises to 4%
The UK unemployment rate edged up to 4.0 percent in the three months to February 2020 from the previous period's 45-year low and slightly above market expectations of 3.9 percent. The number of people out of work rose by 58,000 to 1.36 million, while the number of employed people rose by 172,000 to a record high of 33.07 million. The activity rate hit an all-time high of 79.8 percent.
2020-04-21
UK Jobless Rate Unexpectedly Rises
The UK unemployment rate edged up to 3.9 percent in the three months to January 2020 from the lowest level since early 1975 and above market expectations of 3.8 percent. The number of people out of work rose by 63,000 to 1.34 million, the biggest increase since late 2011, while the number of employed people rose by 184,000 to a record high of 32.99 million. The activity rate hit an all-time high of 79.6 percent.
2020-03-17

United Kingdom Unemployment Rate
In the United Kingdom, the unemployment rate measures the number of people actively looking for a job as a percentage of the labour force.