UK unemployment compared with the G7
In 2025 the UK had the 4th-highest unemployment rate of the seven G7 countries with figures for that year: 4.9%. The range ran from 2.5% in Japan to 7.7% in France. The simple average across the 7 was 5.2%, a difference of 0.3 percentage points from the UK's figure.
On the OECD's latest monthly figures, the UK's unemployment rate was 4.9% in June 2026, the 4th-highest of the 7 countries in this table with a figure for that month.
| Rank | Country | 2025 (%) | 2016 | Latest month (OECD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | France UK v France | 7.7% | 10.1% | 8.2% August 2026 |
| 2 | Canada UK v Canada | 6.9% | 7.1% | 6.4% August 2026 |
| 3 | Italy UK v Italy | 6.1% | 11.7% | 6.2% August 2026 |
| 4 | United Kingdom | 4.9% | 4.9% | 4.9% June 2026 |
| 5 | United States UK v United States | 4.3% | 4.9% | 4.2% September 2026 |
| 6 | Germany UK v Germany | 3.8% | 3.9% | 4.0% August 2026 |
| 7 | Japan UK v Japan | 2.5% | 3.1% | 2.5% August 2026 |
The UK over ten years
From 2016 to 2025 the UK's figure was highest in 2016 (4.9%) and lowest in 2019 (3.8%).
The UK's figure was lower than the average in every year from 2016 to 2025.
In 2016 the UK ranked 4th of the 7 countries with a figure; in 2025 it ranked 4th of 7.
No country changed places with the UK between 2016 and 2025.
The IMF's projection for the UK in 2026 is 5.3%.
Country by country, 2016 and 2025
- France: 7.7% in 2025, 1st; 10.1% in 2016, 2nd.
- Canada: 6.9% in 2025, 2nd; 7.1% in 2016, 3rd.
- Italy: 6.1% in 2025, 3rd; 11.7% in 2016, 1st.
- United Kingdom: 4.9% in 2025, 4th; 4.9% in 2016, 4th=.
- United States: 4.3% in 2025, 5th; 4.9% in 2016, 4th=.
- Germany: 3.8% in 2025, 6th; 3.9% in 2016, 6th.
- Japan: 2.5% in 2025, 7th; 3.1% in 2016, 7th.
How the IMF measures it
The IMF's unemployment rate is the number of unemployed people as a percentage of the labour force, averaged over the calendar year. Countries report it on their own definitions, which broadly follow the International Labour Organization: people without work who have looked for work recently and could start soon. The monthly column comes from the OECD, which publishes seasonally adjusted rates for people aged 15 and over from each country's labour force survey.
IMF figures for recent years can include IMF staff estimates; the IMF revises them in each April and October edition.
Countries compared: Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK and the US. The table uses the latest year for which the UK and at least three-quarters of the countries the IMF covers have a figure, so every value is for the same period.
Why this differs from the UK's own figures
The ONS's headline unemployment rate comes from the Labour Force Survey and covers people aged 16 and over in a rolling three-month period. The IMF figure is a calendar-year average and the OECD's monthly UK figure is built from the same survey. The ONS has said estimates from the Labour Force Survey should be treated with caution because of lower response rates, and it has reweighted the survey, so figures for recent periods have been revised.
The UK's own latest figure, with its definition and release dates: UK unemployment rate.
Sources and receipts
Every value on this page was read from these addresses. The SHA-256 is the fingerprint of the file as downloaded, so a later change at the source can be detected.
- https://www.imf.org/external/datamapper/api/v1/LUR
International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook database (IMF DataMapper) · read 2026-10-14 · SHA-256
26869cca52f939f4… - https://sdmx.oecd.org/public/rest/data/OECD.SDD.TPS,DSD_LFS@DF_IALFS_UNE_M,1.0/.UNE_LF_M.PT_LF_SUB._Z.Y._T.…
OECD, Infra-annual labour statistics · read 2026-10-14 · SHA-256
e6160eb2430a2fc0… - International Monetary Fund: World Economic Outlook database (IMF DataMapper)The publisher's page for this data, indicator LUR.
Common questions
Where does the UK rank for unemployment rate in the G7?
IMF figures for 2025 put the UK 4th of 7, counting from the highest, at 4.9%.
Which G7 country has the highest unemployment rate?
France, at 7.7% in 2025 (International Monetary Fund).
Which G7 country has the lowest unemployment rate?
Japan, at 2.5% in 2025 (International Monetary Fund).
What is the G7 average unemployment rate?
The simple average of the 7 countries with figures for 2025 is 5.2%. The UK's figure is 4.9%.
How has the UK's unemployment rate changed since 2016?
IMF figures give 4.9% for 2016 and 4.9% for 2025; the ten-year chart above shows the years in between.
What is the latest monthly figure?
On the OECD's latest monthly figures, the UK's unemployment rate was 4.9% in June 2026, the 4th-highest of the 7 countries in this table with a figure for that month.
Is this the same as the UK's official figure?
The ONS's headline unemployment rate comes from the Labour Force Survey and covers people aged 16 and over in a rolling three-month period. The IMF figure is a calendar-year average and the OECD's monthly UK figure is built from the same survey.
More comparisons
- UK inflation compared with the G7
- UK national debt compared with the G7
- UK unemployment compared with EU countries
- UK GDP growth compared with the G7
- UK productivity compared with the G7
Compare any two countries on GDP, inflation, unemployment, debt and life expectancy: country comparison tool.
These pages state each body's figures and the UK's position among them. They give no view on whether a figure is high or low. To report an error, send a correction request.