Civometry

ONS · people

People in employment under each government

The full published series with each government’s time in office shaded. The table gives the level each government inherited and the last complete period before it left. Changes describe the period, not a cause. Definitions and caveats are on the metric page.

People in employment: 1971 Q1 to 2026 Q2ConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeLabourLabourLabourLabourCoalitionConservativeConservativeConservativeLabour010m20m30m198019902000201020201971 Q1: 24,613,000 people · published 17 August 20261971 Q2: 24,556,000 people · published 17 August 20261971 Q3: 24,464,000 people · published 17 August 20261971 Q4: 24,395,000 people · published 17 August 20261972 Q1: 24,501,000 people · published 17 August 20261972 Q2: 24,542,000 people · published 17 August 20261972 Q3: 24,585,000 people · published 17 August 20261972 Q4: 24,689,000 people · published 17 August 20261973 Q1: 24,903,000 people · published 17 August 20261973 Q2: 24,986,000 people · published 17 August 20261973 Q3: 24,972,000 people · published 17 August 20261973 Q4: 24,999,000 people · published 17 August 20261974 Q1: 24,984,000 people · published 17 August 20261974 Q2: 25,002,000 people · published 17 August 20261974 Q3: 25,066,000 people · published 17 August 20261974 Q4: 25,065,000 people · published 17 August 20261975 Q1: 24,996,000 people · published 17 August 20261975 Q2: 24,955,000 people · published 17 August 20261975 Q3: 24,918,000 people · published 17 August 20261975 Q4: 24,864,000 people · published 17 August 20261976 Q1: 24,809,000 people · published 17 August 20261976 Q2: 24,779,000 people · published 17 August 20261976 Q3: 24,768,000 people · published 17 August 20261976 Q4: 24,788,000 people · published 17 August 20261977 Q1: 24,803,000 people · published 17 August 20261977 Q2: 24,802,000 people · published 17 August 20261977 Q3: 24,809,000 people · published 17 August 20261977 Q4: 24,822,000 people · published 17 August 20261978 Q1: 24,862,000 people · published 17 August 20261978 Q2: 24,897,000 people · published 17 August 20261978 Q3: 24,941,000 people · published 17 August 20261978 Q4: 25,059,000 people · published 17 August 20261979 Q1: 25,113,000 people · published 17 August 20261979 Q2: 25,159,000 people · published 17 August 20261979 Q3: 25,229,000 people · published 17 August 20261979 Q4: 25,280,000 people · published 17 August 20261980 Q1: 25,250,000 people · published 17 August 20261980 Q2: 25,190,000 people · published 17 August 20261980 Q3: 25,050,000 people · published 17 August 20261980 Q4: 24,855,000 people · published 17 August 20261981 Q1: 24,661,000 people · published 17 August 20261981 Q2: 24,495,000 people · published 17 August 20261981 Q3: 24,355,000 people · published 17 August 20261981 Q4: 24,209,000 people · published 17 August 20261982 Q1: 24,120,000 people · published 17 August 20261982 Q2: 24,027,000 people · published 17 August 20261982 Q3: 23,901,000 people · published 17 August 20261982 Q4: 23,755,000 people · published 17 August 20261983 Q1: 23,651,000 people · published 17 August 20261983 Q2: 23,647,000 people · published 17 August 20261983 Q3: 23,809,000 people · published 17 August 20261983 Q4: 23,994,000 people · published 17 August 20261984 Q1: 24,125,000 people · published 17 August 20261984 Q2: 24,245,000 people · published 17 August 20261984 Q3: 24,335,000 people · published 17 August 20261984 Q4: 24,435,000 people · published 17 August 20261985 Q1: 24,515,000 people · published 17 August 20261985 Q2: 24,570,000 people · published 17 August 20261985 Q3: 24,625,000 people · published 17 August 20261985 Q4: 24,660,000 people · published 17 August 20261986 Q1: 24,670,000 people · published 17 August 20261986 Q2: 24,695,000 people · published 17 August 20261986 Q3: 24,770,000 people · published 17 August 20261986 Q4: 24,850,000 people · published 17 August 20261987 Q1: 24,925,000 people · published 17 August 20261987 Q2: 25,110,000 people · published 17 August 20261987 Q3: 25,345,000 people · published 17 August 20261987 Q4: 25,575,000 people · published 17 August 20261988 Q1: 25,795,000 people · published 17 August 20261988 Q2: 25,970,000 people · published 17 August 20261988 Q3: 26,160,000 people · published 17 August 20261988 Q4: 26,355,000 people · published 17 August 20261989 Q1: 26,590,000 people · published 17 August 20261989 Q2: 26,730,000 people · published 17 August 20261989 Q3: 26,795,000 people · published 17 August 20261989 Q4: 26,880,000 people · published 17 August 20261990 Q1: 26,900,000 people · published 17 August 20261990 Q2: 26,935,000 people · published 17 August 20261990 Q3: 26,900,000 people · published 17 August 20261990 Q4: 26,750,000 people · published 17 August 20261991 Q1: 26,530,000 people · published 17 August 20261991 Q2: 26,275,000 people · published 17 August 20261991 Q3: 26,025,000 people · published 17 August 20261991 Q4: 25,820,000 people · published 17 August 20261992 Q1: 25,710,000 people · published 17 August 20261992 Q2: 25,605,000 people · published 17 August 20261992 Q3: 25,509,000 people · published 17 August 20261992 Q4: 25,336,000 people · published 17 August 20261993 Q1: 25,282,000 people · published 17 August 20261993 Q2: 25,293,000 people · published 17 August 20261993 Q3: 25,316,000 people · published 17 August 20261993 Q4: 25,320,000 people · published 17 August 20261994 Q1: 25,408,000 people · published 17 August 20261994 Q2: 25,451,000 people · published 17 August 20261994 Q3: 25,559,000 people · published 17 August 20261994 Q4: 25,600,000 people · published 17 August 20261995 Q1: 25,670,000 people · published 17 August 20261995 Q2: 25,770,000 people · published 17 August 20261995 Q3: 25,852,000 people · published 17 August 20261995 Q4: 25,982,000 people · published 17 August 20261996 Q1: 25,970,000 people · published 17 August 20261996 Q2: 26,009,000 people · published 17 August 20261996 Q3: 26,062,000 people · published 17 August 20261996 Q4: 26,198,000 people · published 17 August 20261997 Q1: 26,381,000 people · published 17 August 20261997 Q2: 26,514,000 people · published 17 August 20261997 Q3: 26,572,000 people · published 17 August 20261997 Q4: 26,636,000 people · published 17 August 20261998 Q1: 26,677,000 people · published 17 August 20261998 Q2: 26,714,000 people · published 17 August 20261998 Q3: 26,834,000 people · published 17 August 20261998 Q4: 26,955,000 people · published 17 August 20261999 Q1: 27,036,000 people · published 17 August 20261999 Q2: 27,095,000 people · published 17 August 20261999 Q3: 27,218,000 people · published 17 August 20261999 Q4: 27,322,000 people · published 17 August 20262000 Q1: 27,362,000 people · published 17 August 20262000 Q2: 27,468,000 people · published 17 August 20262000 Q3: 27,555,000 people · published 17 August 20262000 Q4: 27,549,000 people · published 17 August 20262001 Q1: 27,623,000 people · published 17 August 20262001 Q2: 27,707,000 people · published 17 August 20262001 Q3: 27,715,000 people · published 17 August 20262001 Q4: 27,803,000 people · published 17 August 20262002 Q1: 27,797,000 people · published 17 August 20262002 Q2: 27,933,000 people · published 17 August 20262002 Q3: 27,935,000 people · published 17 August 20262002 Q4: 28,110,000 people · published 17 August 20262003 Q1: 28,099,000 people · published 17 August 20262003 Q2: 28,226,000 people · published 17 August 20262003 Q3: 28,256,000 people · published 17 August 20262003 Q4: 28,304,000 people · published 17 August 20262004 Q1: 28,459,000 people · published 17 August 20262004 Q2: 28,470,000 people · published 17 August 20262004 Q3: 28,518,000 people · published 17 August 20262004 Q4: 28,673,000 people · published 17 August 20262005 Q1: 28,789,000 people · published 17 August 20262005 Q2: 28,802,000 people · published 17 August 20262005 Q3: 28,928,000 people · published 17 August 20262005 Q4: 28,880,000 people · published 17 August 20262006 Q1: 29,048,000 people · published 17 August 20262006 Q2: 29,106,000 people · published 17 August 20262006 Q3: 29,183,000 people · published 17 August 20262006 Q4: 29,214,000 people · published 17 August 20262007 Q1: 29,194,000 people · published 17 August 20262007 Q2: 29,322,000 people · published 17 August 20262007 Q3: 29,420,000 people · published 17 August 20262007 Q4: 29,576,000 people · published 17 August 20262008 Q1: 29,684,000 people · published 17 August 20262008 Q2: 29,722,000 people · published 17 August 20262008 Q3: 29,580,000 people · published 17 August 20262008 Q4: 29,528,000 people · published 17 August 20262009 Q1: 29,366,000 people · published 17 August 20262009 Q2: 29,087,000 people · published 17 August 20262009 Q3: 29,069,000 people · published 17 August 20262009 Q4: 29,102,000 people · published 17 August 20262010 Q1: 29,013,000 people · published 17 August 20262010 Q2: 29,192,000 people · published 17 August 20262010 Q3: 29,385,000 people · published 17 August 20262010 Q4: 29,324,000 people · published 17 August 20262011 Q1: 29,441,000 people · published 17 August 20262011 Q2: 29,447,000 people · published 17 August 20262011 Q3: 29,284,000 people · published 17 August 20262011 Q4: 29,352,000 people · published 17 August 20262012 Q1: 29,470,000 people · published 17 August 20262012 Q2: 29,689,000 people · published 17 August 20262012 Q3: 29,788,000 people · published 17 August 20262012 Q4: 29,945,000 people · published 17 August 20262013 Q1: 29,884,000 people · published 17 August 20262013 Q2: 29,990,000 people · published 17 August 20262013 Q3: 30,163,000 people · published 17 August 20262013 Q4: 30,350,000 people · published 17 August 20262014 Q1: 30,595,000 people · published 17 August 20262014 Q2: 30,771,000 people · published 17 August 20262014 Q3: 30,899,000 people · published 17 August 20262014 Q4: 31,008,000 people · published 17 August 20262015 Q1: 31,218,000 people · published 17 August 20262015 Q2: 31,170,000 people · published 17 August 20262015 Q3: 31,393,000 people · published 17 August 20262015 Q4: 31,602,000 people · published 17 August 20262016 Q1: 31,636,000 people · published 17 August 20262016 Q2: 31,813,000 people · published 17 August 20262016 Q3: 31,878,000 people · published 17 August 20262016 Q4: 31,914,000 people · published 17 August 20262017 Q1: 32,017,000 people · published 17 August 20262017 Q2: 32,138,000 people · published 17 August 20262017 Q3: 32,134,000 people · published 17 August 20262017 Q4: 32,222,000 people · published 17 August 20262018 Q1: 32,410,000 people · published 17 August 20262018 Q2: 32,451,000 people · published 17 August 20262018 Q3: 32,497,000 people · published 17 August 20262018 Q4: 32,669,000 people · published 17 August 20262019 Q1: 32,776,000 people · published 17 August 20262019 Q2: 32,963,000 people · published 17 August 20262019 Q3: 32,896,000 people · published 17 August 20262019 Q4: 33,057,000 people · published 17 August 20262020 Q1: 32,981,000 people · published 17 August 20262020 Q2: 32,628,000 people · published 17 August 20262020 Q3: 32,361,000 people · published 17 August 20262020 Q4: 32,270,000 people · published 17 August 20262021 Q1: 32,321,000 people · published 17 August 20262021 Q2: 32,443,000 people · published 17 August 20262021 Q3: 32,727,000 people · published 17 August 20262021 Q4: 32,735,000 people · published 17 August 20262022 Q1: 32,799,000 people · published 17 August 20262022 Q2: 32,992,000 people · published 17 August 20262022 Q3: 32,928,000 people · published 17 August 20262022 Q4: 33,121,000 people · published 17 August 20262023 Q1: 33,335,000 people · published 17 August 20262023 Q2: 33,335,000 people · published 17 August 20262023 Q3: 33,357,000 people · published 17 August 20262023 Q4: 33,385,000 people · published 17 August 20262024 Q1: 33,347,000 people · published 17 August 20262024 Q2: 33,468,000 people · published 17 August 20262024 Q3: 33,784,000 people · published 17 August 20262024 Q4: 33,871,000 people · published 17 August 20262025 Q1: 33,994,000 people · published 17 August 20262025 Q2: 34,216,000 people · published 17 August 20262025 Q3: 34,198,000 people · published 17 August 20262025 Q4: 34,253,000 people · published 17 August 20262026 Q1: 34,386,000 people · published 17 August 20262026 Q2: 34,469,000 people · published 17 August 2026
Published valueProvisional or revisedLatestShaded bands: governments (see labels)Hover or use arrow keys to read a value
GovernmentInheritedLeft at / latestChange during government
Labour 2024–5 July 2024 – present33,468,0002024 Q234,469,0002026 Q2↑ 3.0%+1,001,000
Conservative 2019–202413 December 2019 – 5 July 202432,896,0002019 Q333,468,0002024 Q2↑ 1.7%+572,000
Conservative 2017–20199 June 2017 – 13 December 201932,017,0002017 Q132,896,0002019 Q3↑ 2.7%+879,000
Conservative 2015–20178 May 2015 – 9 June 201731,218,0002015 Q132,017,0002017 Q1↑ 2.6%+799,000
Coalition 2010–201511 May 2010 – 8 May 201529,013,0002010 Q131,218,0002015 Q1↑ 7.6%+2,205,000
Labour 2005–20106 May 2005 – 11 May 201028,789,0002005 Q129,013,0002010 Q1↑ 0.8%+224,000
Labour 2001–20058 June 2001 – 5 May 200527,623,0002001 Q128,789,0002005 Q1↑ 4.2%+1,166,000
Labour 1997–20012 May 1997 – 7 June 200126,381,0001997 Q127,623,0002001 Q1↑ 4.7%+1,242,000
Conservative 1992–199710 April 1992 – 2 May 199725,710,0001992 Q126,381,0001997 Q1↑ 2.6%+671,000
Conservative 1987–199212 June 1987 – 9 April 199224,925,0001987 Q125,710,0001992 Q1↑ 3.1%+785,000
Conservative 1983–198710 June 1983 – 11 June 198723,651,0001983 Q124,925,0001987 Q1↑ 5.4%+1,274,000
Conservative 1979–19834 May 1979 – 9 June 198325,113,0001979 Q123,651,0001983 Q1↓ 5.8%−1,462,000