OBR · people

Employment forecasts 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.

Employment forecasts: 2009 to 2024LabourCoalitionCoalitionConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeConservativeLabour010m20m30m2010201520202009: 29,156,000 people · published 26 March 20262010: 29,228,500 people · published 26 March 20262011: 29,381,000 people · published 26 March 20262012: 29,723,000 people · published 26 March 20262013: 30,096,750 people · published 26 March 20262014: 30,818,250 people · published 26 March 20262015: 31,345,750 people · published 26 March 20262016: 31,810,250 people · published 26 March 20262017: 32,127,750 people · published 26 March 20262018: 32,506,750 people · published 26 March 20262019: 32,923,000 people · published 26 March 20262020: 32,558,750 people · published 26 March 20262021: 32,555,000 people · published 26 March 20262022: 32,957,250 people · published 26 March 20262023: 33,351,000 people · published 26 March 20262024: 33,615,500 people · published 26 March 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 2024presentFewer than two periods have been published during this government, so no change is shown yet.
Conservative 2019–202413 December 20195 July 202432,506,750201833,351,0002023 2.6%+844,250
Conservative 2017–20199 June 201713 December 201931,810,250201632,506,7502018 2.2%+696,500
Conservative 2015–20178 May 20159 June 201730,818,250201431,810,2502016 3.2%+992,000
Coalition 2010–201511 May 20108 May 201529,156,000200930,818,2502014 5.7%+1,662,250
Labour 2005–20106 May 200511 May 2010No complete period was published before this government took office.
Labour 2001–20058 June 20015 May 2005No complete period was published before this government took office.
Labour 1997–20012 May 19977 June 2001No complete period was published before this government took office.
Conservative 1992–199710 April 19922 May 1997No complete period was published before this government took office.
Conservative 1987–199212 June 19879 April 1992No complete period was published before this government took office.
Conservative 1983–198710 June 198311 June 1987No complete period was published before this government took office.
Conservative 1979–19834 May 19799 June 1983No complete period was published before this government took office.