What is the UK unemployment rate?

The ONS publishes the UK unemployment rate monthly in its labour market overview, covering a rolling three-month period. The rate is the share of economically active people aged 16 and over who are without work, have looked for work in the last four weeks and can start within two weeks.

The same release gives the employment rate (16 to 64) and economic inactivity, which together show more than unemployment alone.

Official sources: ONS labour market overview (latest) · Unemployment rate series (MGSX)

The latest figure

The newest value is at Office for National Statistics (ONS). More on it: UK employment rate.

When is the next figure out?

Monthly, usually a Tuesday in the middle of the month, 7am (ONS labour market release); next release 20 October 2026

Every official release due in the next two weeks is on the release calendar.

Terms used in this answer

• Percentage point
  The arithmetic difference between two percentages. A rise from 4% to 5% is one percentage point, but a 25% increase in the rate.
• Rolling average
  An average recalculated each period over a fixed window, such as the latest three months or twelve months, to smooth out short-term ups and downs.
• Seasonally adjusted
  Figures that have had regular calendar patterns removed, such as Christmas shopping or summer jobs, so that underlying movements between months or quarters can be seen.
• ILO unemployment
  The internationally agreed definition of unemployment: people without a job who have looked for work in the past four weeks and can start within two weeks.
• Economic inactivity
  People who are not in work and not looking for or available for work, such as students, carers, retired people and those who are long-term sick.
• Response rate
  The share of people or businesses selected for a survey who actually take part. Lower response rates can make estimates less precise and risk bias.

Where the figures come from

• UK labour market statistics (ONS, Nomis and the gender pay gap reporting service)
  How to find official UK figures on jobs, vacancies, zero-hours contracts, strikes, public sector jobs, sickness, inactivity and pay gaps, and check claims.

Related questions

• How is UK unemployment calculated?
• What is the average salary in the UK?
• How big is the UK economy (GDP)?

This answer says where the official figures are published and how they are defined. It gives no verdict on any claim. To report an error, send a correction request. More questions about economy, jobs and wages: all Economy, jobs and wages questions.